


Tailored For Vengeance

by Proud_Wing



Category: Kill la Kill (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Background Femslash, Background Het, Background Relationships, Birth Swap AU, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-09-28 20:20:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 55,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17189753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Proud_Wing/pseuds/Proud_Wing
Summary: Nui Matoi arrives at Honnouji Academy, determined to find her father's murderer, but faces stubborn resistance from the student council president, Ryuko Kiryuin, and her powerful underlings. With the help of her friends and a special sailor uniform, Nui embarks on a mission to save the world. Birth Swap AU.





	1. If Only I had Scissors To Cut You

**Author's Note:**

> AN: Special thanks to Discordence (FFN) and Jodasgreat (FFN) for betaing this chapter.

Nui Matoi stood under the shadow of Honno City, long, drilled pigtails flowing in the breeze as she tilted her head up to take in the majestic sight. The comfortable Japanese homes of the lower levels gave way to villas, then towering skyscrapers, and finally, vast mansions as Honno City spiralled up into the sky, like a giant spinning top that had been flipped upside down. It was a mesmerising display of reds and blacks, intersected by vast systems of roads and tramways that rose up alongside the city, all of which converged on the city’s centerpiece: Honnouji Academy. Much of it remained hidden behind the school’s walls, but from the tip of its tallest tower a bright light could be seen, bathing Honno City in its crimson glow.

A smile grew on Nui’s face, drilled pigtails bobbing as she rested her chin against her parasol, it’s tip planted in the ground. “This place looks like a lot of fun! I wonder if I can find my answer here?”

**[TRANSFER STUDENT: NUI MATOI]**  
**[AKA: THE KANTO DRIFTER]**

Humming a cheerful tune, Nui took off into the city, pink boots clacking against the pavement as she skipped every step of the way. She twirled her parasol in her left hand, now opened and shielding her from the morning rays, while her right held the persimmon she was eating.

She was climbing up a flight of stairs, hopping up each step as though she were playing a game when a young boy ran into her. “Whoops, sorry!” he said, spinning around her as if caught off balance, before diving down the stairs and into a nearby alleyway. Mataro Mankanshoku sat back against a storage box, chuckling as he pulled out his prize. "That was a piece of cake."

His grin quickly dropped when he saw what he’d grabbed. “What? I could’ve sworn I grabbed her wallet!” Mataro moaned. Disappointment quickly turned to confusion as he examined the half eaten fruit in his hand. “What the hell kinda tomato is this anyway?”

“It’s persimmon, actually. Superduper sweet too.” A well-manicured hand took the persimmon out of his hands, and Mataro glanced up to find Nui leaning over him from behind, perfectly balanced on the storage box’s slanted roof despite her awkward pose. Her dainty lips curled into a sweet smile, blue eyes dancing with mirth as Mataro jumped back onto his feet. “That was so mean of you, the way you ran into me like that, and all just to steal a half-eaten persimmon. I have plenty of uneaten ones I could’ve given you, sweetie, but I guess you only wanted the one that’s already been in my mouth.”

“What the hell’s that supposed to mean, bitch? I don’t need to swap spit with some random hoe, I get more than enough action as it is”, Mataro said.

Nui leaned against her parasol, head tilted as her smile grew. “That’s great, I'm so happy for you. My father always said we should live our lives to the fullest, because we never know when we’re going to drop dead.”

“Well, I hope you’ve lived a full life because it’s gonna end today. Come on out, guys!” At Mataro’s command, three more boys leapt into the alleyway, makeshift weapons swinging wildly as they surrounded Nui, laughing with devious intent. Nui’s smile never faltered. “You must be new here, bitch, because only an idiot would mess with me and my crew. I’m Honno City’s top dog, Mataro Mankanshoku, and this alleyway is my turf.”

**[MATARO MANKANSHOKU]**

“It’s a dead end for hoes like you, so if you wanna get home in one piece, leave your wallet and scram”, Mataro said, though his threat was rather diminished by Nui’s constant giggling.

“Gosh, aren't you guys just the cutest little gang ever? It’s like being attacked by a pack of puppies; I’m more interested in pinching your little cheeks and patting your heads than actually defending myself!” Smile ever-present, Nui brought up her parasol, resting it on her shoulder with a sigh. “But if you really want to play, I suppose I could spare a few seconds.”

Mataro growled. “You’re gonna regret calling us cute, bitch. Kick her ass!”

Nui merely smiled as Mataro’s gang leapt into action, recklessly swinging their weapons as they closed in all around her. Not one of their attacks landed, however, as Nui had jumped at the last possible moment and was now laughing as she spun in the air above them. From there all she had to do was extend her arm outwards and her momentum did the rest, her parasol smacking each boy across the face before sending them flying into the wall, where they landed in a heap.

"What the hell?" was all Mataro could say before Nui was upon him. She whipped a thread of string at Mataro, shimmering red as it was wrapped around his legs like a lasso, and he could do little more than yelp as he was yanked off his feet and thrown at his friends. They were all sent flying down the alleyway as he smashed into them, coming to a grinding stop near one of Honno City's tramways.

Humming once more, Nui skipped towards Mataro and his gang. “This was so much fun, but I’m afraid I’ve got business to take care of, so I’ve got to put your little gang down now”, she said, as her free hand dipped into the top of her dress, fingers wrapping around the cold, hard grip of her blade. "Nothing personal of course, sweetie, but bullies need to be punished."

“W-wait! We give up, you win!” Mataro said, bowing alongside his friends as Nui stood over them. “We weren’t really going to hurt you, I swear! We’re a passive-aggressive gang! Please don’t kill us!”

Nui paused at that, her blade half drawn as she glanced down at the trembling boys, and any semblance of a smile vanished. _‘They’re just kids’_ , she realised, as if seeing them clearly for the first time, and a sickly feeling grew in the pit of her stomach. _‘I just wanted to have some fun, I didn’t mean to…’_

She’d been prepared to kill them. _‘Freak.’_

She’d almost lost control again. _‘Monster.’_

_‘No. You’re a human, Nui, not a monster’_ , her father’s voice echoed through her mind, a fragment of an old yet vivid memory, and Nui clung desperately to those words, reciting them over and over again until she believed them almost as much as he had. Until she felt human again.

Nui dropped the blade back into her dress and took a deep breath to compose herself, forcing a smile back upon her face. “I’m not going to kill you. Just don’t bother anyone like that again, okay?”

Mataro and his gang gave a meek nod before taking off, but it only took a few seconds of running before Mataro started laughing. “I ain’t quitting that easily, you dumbass! I’m gonna be Honno City’s greatest baller, you’ll see!”

That got a giggle out of Nui, but her good mood could only last so long, and the silence that followed Mataro’s absence brought with it shame and guilt. Nui let out an annoyed huff, hitting herself in the head with her free hand over and over again. “Stupid Nui! Stupid Nui! Only hurt bad people, not innocent ones! Don’t let dad down!”

“Hey there, you okay?” Nui paused mid-hit, only just noticing the girl standing right in front of her. Big brown eyes seemed to stare into her soul, and Nui leaned back, for once a little caught off guard. “Did you forget something? That always happens to me too, but my dad’s a doctor, and he says punching yourself isn’t a good way to remember. The best way to unjumble your brain is to hit your head against something much harder, like a wall or a car bonnet, until the memory comes back!”

Nui gave a wry smile. “I’ll be sure to remember that, thank you, sweetie.”

“You’re welcome! By the way, my name’s Ma-” A bell rang in the distance, and the girl screamed, nearly bowling Nui over as raced towards a nearby tram. “I’m gonna be late! Let me on! Let me on! Please let me on!” she cried out, before flinging herself onto the already full tram, knocking over several students as she went. Picking herself up as though nothing had happened, she turned back to Nui and waved. “Don’t worry, I made it! I’ll see you at school, new friend!”

Nui cocked her head, watching the girl flail about until the tram was out of sight. “Gosh, this place is a little crazy, even for me”, she muttered. Shrugging, Nui resumed her skip towards Honnouji Academy, a reinvigorated smile across her face. “Oh well, better crazy than boring!”

Eventually, Nui found her way to the gates of Honnouji Academy, where a dead boy greeted her, his body tangled in spiked whips as it swayed above the entrance. Standing on her tiptoes, Nui tilted her head to read the sign that hung from his neck. **HERE IS A PIG WHO BELIEVED HE COULD THREATEN RYUKO KIRYUIN, AND HONNOUJI ACADEMY. JUSTICE HAS BEEN SERVED** it read, and Nui couldn’t help but laugh. “Wow, a crazy school for a crazy city. I was right, this place is going to be so much fun!” she said, and her dainty lips curled into a smirk. “Well then, let's see what answers you have for me, Honnouji Academy.”

 

* * *

 

Aikuro Mikisugi felt a little awkward to say the least. Normally he’d have started the lesson by now, being the totally authentic teacher he was, but with a new student arriving today, he’d delayed the lesson to allow for the appropriate introduction. Only said new student had become something of a no-show, meaning he’d wasted the last fifteen minutes just standing in front of his class, awkwardly shuffling under the gazes of his students. Or at least the gazes of those who’d bothered to stay awake.

Giving the clock one last frown, Aikuro turned back to his chalkboard. “Strange, she should’ve been here by now. I hope you aren’t doing anything rash, Nui”, he muttered.

“Nui! So that’s my new bestie’s name!” Mako Mankanshoku said, somehow right next to Aikuro despite having been asleep at her desk not a moment before.

“Mankanshoku, please return to your seat, I’m already behind on the lesson as it is.”

“Behind on the lesson?” Mako glanced up at the clock, and let out a shrill scream when she saw the time, waking up the entire class in the process. “Oh no, my bestie is late to class! She’s going to get into so much trouble! I have to save her!”

“Mankanshoku, wait-” Mako took off before he could finish, however, leaving a trail of dust in her wake as she smashed through the classroom wall and raced down the hallway. Aikuro just sighed at the Mako-shaped hole she’d left behind. “Of all the people Nui could’ve been friends with, why’d it have to be Mankanshoku? The world’s not ready for this.”

 

* * *

 

After the impressive display of brutality at the front gates, Nui had found the rest of Honnouji Academy to be rather boring. No resistance had been met, nor any students or staff for that matter, just a smoky haze that obscured most of the school from Nui’s sight, save for the student council tower itself, which rose high above everything else. With Honnouji already boring her half to death, Nui decided to forgo attending class in favour of visiting the student council president, and so took off towards the tower.

After all, if anyone had answers here, it would be the Kiryuin girl, right?

Nui made it halfway across the courtyard before she was finally stopped, as several sharpened rulers smacked into the ground right in front of her. A hazy silhouette strode towards her, growing clearer in the smoke with each step, until a rather scrawny looking boy stood before her, all in white save for a red sash across his chest. He wore thick, round glasses, and had possibly the worst case of a bowl cut Nui had ever seen.

“You picked the wrong school to skip class in, new girl!” he said in an incredibly nasally voice. “I’m Haru Kaneko, captain of the hall monitors club!”

**[HARU KANEKO: HALL MONITOR CAPTAIN]**

“Oooh, captain of the hall monitors club.” Nui giggled, leaning forward with her hands behind her back. “I bet you’re real popular with the girls.”

“Are you mocking me? I’ll have you know that my grandma says I’m the most handsome boy she's ever seen!” Haru said, and the two stars on his red sash started to glow. He wore a pair of armoured gauntlets, and with a flick of the wrists, both produced a set of long, sharpened rulers. Like his sash, they glistened a deep red.

“Wow, you have Life Fiber claws? That’s so cool! You’re like a really nerdy Wolverine”, Nui said, sliding in for a closer look.

Haru clearly wasn’t used to having girls near him, yelping loudly and immediately backing off from Nui, his arms raised in a shaky defensive stance. “You know about Life Fibers?”

“Yep, that’s why I’m here! I love beating up Life Fiber puppets like you, it’s the highlight of my day!” Nui pointed her parasol at Haru. “But right now, I’ve got a little question that needs answering, and I think your student council president can help me, so would you mind stepping aside? Otherwise, I might have to hurt you.”

Haru laughed, his glasses shining as he pushed them up with a finger. “You might hurt me? For someone who claims to know about Life Fibers, you clearly haven’t done much research when it comes to Honnouji Academy. I’m wearing a Hall Monitor Spec Two-Star Goku Uniform!”

**[TWO-STAR GOKU UNIFORM]**  
**[HALL MONITOR SPEC]**

The two stars on Haru’s sash seemed to glow as he continued. “It’s granted me superhuman abilities, well in excess of anything an average human like you could muster, and to top it all off it’s as tough as steel. You’d have enough trouble penetrating it with a gun, let alone that pathetic little parasol of yours!”

“A Goku Uniform? Wow, I’ve never heard of them before, guess your president’s been keeping all kinds of dirty secrets now, hasn’t she? Name’s a little derivative though.” Nui then smirked. “Still, I’ve cut through Life Fiber-enhanced armour before, so I doubt your boy scout uniform is going to do much, sweetie."

Haru smirked back, bringing up his sharpened rulers. “Bring it on then, I’ll send you to detention in rags, you litt-”

Suddenly there was a loud whooshing sound, and Nui turned to see Mako flying towards her, arms outstretched as she rapidly closed in. “Catch me, Nui!” she shouted. Nui decided to ignore that suggestion in favour of ducking, and Mako flew straight over her, before slamming headfirst into Haru. Both were sent sprawling to the ground. “Owie, that hurt way more than the walls. Why’d you dodge me like that? I just wanted to give you a hug”, Mako groaned, rubbing her head as she picked herself up.

“Sorry, but I don’t accept hugs from weirdos. Promised my dad”, Nui told Mako, though her attention remained on Haru, who was struggling to get up himself. Eventually, however, she turned to Mako with a raised eyebrow. “By the way, how do you know my name?”

“Because I’m your bestie, of course, and besties should know everything about each other! Especially names!” Mako said, jumping to her feet. She dizzily made her way over to Nui, trying to hug her once again, but was kept at bay by the tip of Nui’s parasol poking into her stomach. Weirdo or not, there was no way Nui was going to let this girl hug her, dirty as she now was. “Oh, that's right, we can’t be besties if you don’t know my name too. I’m Mako Mankanshoku!”

**[MAKO MANKANSHOKU]**

Nui frowned. “Half a conversation and we’re already best friends?”

“Of course! When your desk neighbours with someone you’ve just gotta be their best friend as well, because fate brought us together! We wouldn’t be seated next to each other if we weren’t meant to be besties!” Mako’s explanation did little to convince Nui, who found herself increasingly worried by how often this girl was catching her off guard. She tried to push Mako back with the tip of her parasol, but Mako just leaned in over it, brown eyes sparkling brightly. “By the way, what’s up with that outfit you're wearing? It looks super cute on you, like you’re some sort of anime cosplayer! I love anime by the way! My favourite anime’s Sailor Moon and I can sing the theme off by heart!  _Fighting evil by moonlight! Winning love by daylight! Never running from a real fight! She is the one named Sail-_ "

Several sharpened rulers were suddenly flying towards them, and Nui quickly pulled Mako behind her, before opening up her parasol. The rulers smacked into Life Fiber-infused fabric of the parasol, harmlessly bouncing off.

“Hey, I’m not done with you yet! I’m taking both of you to the detention stocks!” Haru screeched, spittle flying out from his braced mouth. “I’m gonna make sure you suffer the ten thousand line punishment! You gotta write ten thousand lines in front of the entire school, and if you stop writing at any time, you’ll be forced to start from the beginning!”

“Ten thousand lines! I can barely do five before my hand starts to cramp!” Mako cried out, ducking behind Nui’s skirts.

“Don’t worry, Mako, once I'm finished with this dork, detention will be the least of his worries”, Nui promised, smiling wickedly at Haru. “In fact, he'll be lucky if he can even write lines himself once I've had my fun with him.”

Nui made to draw her blade as Haru raised his own weapons, but before they could start the fight a bright red light cut through the smoke surrounding them, and Nui was forced to shield her eyes. “First you skip class, and now you’re threatening my students? This ain’t a great start to your time here, Nui Matoi.”

There was a heel clack against the ground, and when Nui opened her eyes again, she found a girl standing right behind Haru, red light shimmering behind her. Unlike Mako or Haru she wore a sailor uniform; white with blue and gold accents, and a strange pattern of colours around the bow that looked almost like a pair of eyes. Her short, black hair danced in the breeze, a solitary bang of red momentarily catching Nui’s eye, before they were drawn back to the girl’s face. She sneered at Nui, blue eyes blazing with barely contained rage as she jammed her sheathed blade into the ground.

“My lady”, Haru said in awe, sliding to one side and dropping into a bow. Behind her, Nui could see Mako doing the same thing.

“Bow, Nui, bow!” Mako whispered, peeking up at the girl through her bangs. “That’s the student council president, Ryuko Kiryuin!”

**[STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT: RYUKO KIRYUIN]**

“Seems your friend there has more sense than you do, Nui Matoi. So, care to explain why you’re distracting everyone from their lessons?” Ryuko asked, flicking a thumb over at the main school building, where everyone seemed to be watching them from their classrooms.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I just wanted to ask you a little question, that’s all! Promise I won’t take up too much of your time”, Nui said, and then, in one fluid motion, dipped her hand into the top her dress and pulled out a purple scissor blade. She twirled it around her body, smoothly moving the blade from one hand to the other and then back again, all the while spinning around herself, before finally levelling the blade’s tip straight at Ryuko. “Ta-dah! What do you think, Kiryuin?”

“Half a scissor?” Haru asked, glancing over at Ryuko. The student president just raised an eyebrow.

’“Wow, that’s the hugest scissor blade ever! You’re way cooler than an anime cosplayer!” Mako exclaimed, staring up at Nui in awe.

“Where’d you get a blade like that?” Ryuko asked.

“It’s a gift from my father, a weapon designed to tear crummy Life Fiber uniforms apart. But someone stole the other half, right after they stabbed my father in the heart with it”, Nui said, before a smirk found its way across her lips. “So, Ryuko Kiryuin, I’m only going to ask this once; do you know who has the other half of my scissor blade?”

“‘Fraid I don’t, never even seen anything like it before.” Ryuko then turned her back to Nui. “Looks like you came all this way for nothing. Damn shame”, she mocked, laughing as she started to walk away.

Nui bristled at that. “Liar! It was someone from REVOCS who killed my father, wasn't it? Your family! If anyone here knows who, it’d be you, Kiryuin!” she screamed, before charging at Ryuko. “I’ll get the answer out of you even if I have to tear this whole place down, you Life Fiber puppet!”

She swung her blade at Ryuko, but Haru managed to get in the way, blocking her attack with his Life Fiber rulers. Nui growled, trying to push Haru aside with her blade, but the scrawny boy was far stronger than he looked, and easily held his own. As he did so, Ryuko turned back to Nui with a glare. “I warned you about threatening my students already, Matoi, but I guess listening ain’t your strong point. I’d teach you a lesson myself, but honestly, you just ain’t worth my time”, she said, before nodding at Haru. “I’ll leave this mundane fight to you, Haru.”

“Mundane?” Nui practically snarled.

“With pleasure, my lady.” And with that Haru smashed Nui across the face with a Life Fiber clipboard, sending her flying across the courtyard, almost taking out Mako as she came to grinding halt. “How do like my Life Fiber enhanced detention clipboard, new girl? Only the worst students get their names on it, and now you’re one of them. Hurts to break the rules, doesn’t it?”

“Oh no, Nui! I forgot to warn you not to get caught by the hall monitors!” Mako shouted, but as she tried to help Haru whipped his sash around her leg, before yanking her over to him. As she came to a sliding stop he unholstered a staple gun, and fired several staples into her uniform, pinning her to the ground. Mako struggled at first, but soon froze when she saw Ryuko glaring down at her.

“Stay out of this, Mankanshoku”, Ryuko warned her.

Meanwhile, Nui picked herself up, spitting a little blood out. “You think that little Goku Uniform can stop me? I’ve got plenty more tricks up my sleeve than just this scissor blade”, she said, drawing several tacking needles with her free hand.

Just as she was about to throw them though, Haru started to laugh. “I never banked on my Goku uniform being enough to stop you, but I do play a good decoy for my fighting partner, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Deco-” Nui only managed to utter half the word before a pair of hands grabbed her head, and she was slammed face first into the ground.

“RKO outta nowhere!”

**[RKO OUTTA NOWHERE]**

Nui groaned, the taste of iron and dirt thick in her mouth. She glanced up from the newly formed, head-shaped hole in the ground find an incredibly buff guy standing over her, a cocky grin upon his face. He only wore wrestling shorts, and just like Haru’s sash, there were two red stars on them.

“Jun, nice of you to finally turn up. Have you finished flirting with your seventeen girlfriends?” Haru asked.

“It’s eighteen now, actually, managed to pull another one on the way here. Sorry ‘bout the wait though, dork, must’ve been hard for you to deal with girls who ain’t your mother”, Jun said, grinning at how riled up Haru got. When he saw Ryuko though his cocky grin dropped, and he gave her a low bow. “Lady Ryuko, captain of the wrestling team, Jun Chino, at your service.”

**[JUN CHINO: WRESTLING TEAM CAPTAIN]**

“Permission to join Haru in teaching this bitch a lesson she won’t soon forget?”

“Granted. Show her the power of your Goku Uniforms, and remind her of the price delinquents pay at Honnouji Academy”, Ryuko said.

“Two against one? How is this fair?” Nui growled, glaring fiercely at Ryuko.

Ryuko just laughed. “Would’ve given you a fair fight normally, Matoi, but you’ve pissed me off with that happy-go-lucky, cocky ass attitude you’ve been peddling, so congrats, you’re gonna get your ass beat instead. Might even take that sword from you too. Maybe then you’ll think twice about walking into my school and making idle threats against my students.”

“You’ll never take this sword from me! I’m not beaten yet, Kiryuin!” With that Nui planted her feet into the ground and pushed, forcing her body into a roll which brought her back upright, her free hand grabbing at the tacking needles as she went. Those needles were soon whistling through the air as Nui threw them at Jun, but when they struck his chest they just bounced off, clattering harmlessly to the ground. Nui’s jaw dropped. “H-how? That’s not even part of your uniform.”

Taking advantage of her surprise, Jun charged forward, slamming his shoulder into Nui’s stomach and tackling her to the ground. He laughed as she violently coughed beneath him. “You ain’t gettin’ it, are you? Our Goku Uniforms are as tough as steel, and a wrestler’s manly chest is a much a part of his uniform as his shorts are! You know what that means? Your little needles can’t do a thing to me!” Jun hauled Nui up with him, and then threw her over his shoulder, straight at Haru. There was no time to recover; Haru’s sash was around her legs within seconds, and concrete soon filled her vision as she was slammed back into the ground.

Nui tried to pick herself up back up, but Haru was quickly upon her, firing several rounds of his staple gun into her back, and her legs buckled under the onslaught. She opened up her parasol, using it to deflect most of the incoming staples, but some were still able to find a way through, nicking at her legs or arms. “What’s the matter, new girl, thought you were going to hurt me?” Haru asked, continuing to pour staple rounds in her direction. Nui withstood it as best she could, all the while silently lining up her parasol’s tip with Haru’s head. “You should’ve just accepted detention, now you get to feel the true wrath of the hall monitors club! It’s going to take you hours to get those staples out, and I’ve been told it isn’t a pleasant experience, but you brought this on yourself! This is what happens whe-”

Haru’s rant was abruptly interrupted by a missile exploding his face, and though his Goku Uniform tanked the worst of it, he was still sent flying across the courtyard. Nui smirked, blowing smoke off the tip of her parasol. “Heard getting blown up isn’t a pleasant experience either, dork.”

Nui managed to find a way back onto her feet, but the staples made moving a painful task, which was unfortunate given how Jun was now charging towards her. Out of missiles and severely restricted movement wise, she drew more tacking needles, throwing them at weak spots such as the eyes or mouth, but each one bounced off just like before. That left her scissor blade, and she sliced at him when he got close enough, a last-ditch effort which threw her already weak footing off balance. Jun easily vaulted over her blade though, before extending his knee, smashing Nui in the chest as he knocked her to the ground once more.

Nui had the breath knocked out of her, and yet again, Jun gave her no chance to recover, grabbing her by the neck and hauling her up until her feet dangled helplessly in the air. “That was a clever plan, surprising the poindexter like that, but that won’t work on me. Clever plans are no match for my strength!” Jun then hauled her up even higher, until she was being held high above his head. Realising what was about to happen, Nui swung her scissor blade, intend on slicing the wrestling captain’s arms off, but once again her attack failed to connect as Haru’s sash wrapped around her arm.

“This is for shooting a missile at my face, bitch!” a slightly charred Haru growled, and that left Nui as little more than a passenger for what was about to come.

Jun laughed as she flailed helplessly above him. “Don’t matter if it's John Cena, Hulk Hogan, or The Rock, there ain’t a single wrestler alive who can match me! Taste my finishing move; Subterranean Spinebuster!”

**[SUBTERRANEAN SPINEBUSTER]**

And with that Nui was slammed into the ground. The resulting shockwave shattered hundreds of windows across the city, and sent every student sprawling to the ground, save for Ryuko, who weathered it all with a look of disinterest. Even Jun was forced to take shelter from his own attack, as dust and debris shot out in all directions, smashing great big holes into the academy’s walls, and carving massive ravines across the courtyard. And at the very center of it all lay Nui, sprawled out in a crater several metres deep, every inch of her body screaming in pain.

A sharp heel pressed itself against her side, and Nui hissed as she was flipped over. It was Ryuko who stood over her. “Still alive? That’s good, ain’t much of a lesson if it kills you.” Ryuko leaned in, those strange, gear-shaped eyes appraising Nui with a hard glare. “And the lesson better have sunk in, Matoi, because I don't give out second chances to people like you. Threats against me I can take, I’m a goddamn Kiryuin after all, but if you ever decide to come back here and make idle threats against my students again, I’ll kill you. You got that?”

“C-crystal… clear… b-bitch”, Nui rasped out, and then, despite every muscle in her body screaming in agony, she swung her scissor blade at Ryuko. It was a predictably weak swing, one Ryuko easily sidestepped, but the effort alone was enough to wipe the glare of her face, and its place came a boisterous laugh.

“Gotta give you credit, Matoi, you don’t know when to call it quits. Most people would’a crawled up into a ball and had a good cry after the beating you just took, but here you are, still tryna fight me. I admire that. Tell you what, I’ll let you-” Ryuko was abruptly silenced as Nui spat a glob of blood in her face.

“You can shove your admiration up where the sun doesn’t shine, you Life Fiber puppet”, Nui hissed, smirking weakly at a shocked Ryuko.

Ryuko’s rage finally boiled over, and she snatched at one of Nui’s pigtails, using it to hoist the girl up above her. Nui had nothing left to give at this point, and just hung there limply, withering Ryuko’s hate-filled glare. “You know what, you’re fucking done here, Matoi! I was gonna let you walk outta here with your dignity intact, but now you’re leaving the hard way! Congrats, bitch, this is all on you!” And with that, Ryuko grabbed the other pigtail, and began to spin around. The world quickly became a blur for Nui, and she could do nothing but desperately cling to her scissor blade with all the strength she had left, such was her fear of losing it.

“Get the fuck outta my academy!” Ryuko screamed, releasing Nui at the apex of her spin, sending the girl hurtling into the air. Nui sailed over the school walls, then half of Honno City itself-- practically a ragdoll for the entire flight before-- Ryuko’s throw finally lost its steam, and she fell back to earth again. Barely lucid, Nui saw the ground rushing towards her and did the only thing she could think to do; open up her parasol.

It worked surprisingly well, slowing her down fairly quickly, but it couldn’t prevent the inevitable, and Nui still hit the ground harder than she would’ve liked. She tumbled down the road for what seemed like miles, only coming to an abrupt stop when she smashed into the front of a car, setting the alarm off in the process. Despite the blaring noise in her ears, Nui could only manage a few more seconds of consciousness, just barely able to make out a strangely familiar voice before finally blacking out.

 

* * *

 

“Well, Nui lost, as we expected. I was hoping she wouldn’t rush in like she did, but I suppose it all worked out in the end.”

“Worked out? For fuck’s sake, Aikuro, she could’ve been killed! That girl means a lot to me, and I don't appreciate-”

“Relax, this was all part of the plan. Now that Nui knows just how outmatched she is against Ryuko Kiryuin, she’ll be less likely to take Isshin’s final gift for granted.”

”You mean the Kamui? No, absolutely not! We don’t even know if it will work on someone like her.”

“Isshin wouldn’t have worked on it for years if he didn’t believe it would. Besides, you know she needs it.”

“... Fine, Aikuro, but only because Isshin would’ve wanted it. I want to be the one to give it to her, though.”

“Of course, you know her best after all, Kinue.”

**[TAILORED FOR VENGEANCE]**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: A story with Nui as the hero? Uh oh, looks like the writer's gone insane.
> 
> I'll be the first to admit this could turn out poorly, but risks are worth taking, and I believe I have it in me to tell a good story without completely butchering the characters. Of course, the different upbringings will alter the characters in some way, especially in Nui's case, but for the most part, I've tried to remain faithful to who they were originally. This work takes inspiration from the Satsuki birth swap stories we've seen in past, of course, but I found the potential twist of having Nui take up the hero's mantle to be an intriguing idea, and one I could not resist writing.
> 
> So here we. I hope you all in enjoy, because I'm very excited to write it.
> 
> This is my first story in quite a little while, so forgive me if I'm a little rusty. If you happen to find any errors in spelling or grammar (beyond the British-American English differences, of course) please let me know via comment, and I'll be more than happy to fix it.


	2. It's Tactical Espionage Expert, Actually

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Special thanks to Discordence (FFN) and Jodasgreat (FFN) for betaing this chapter.

Nui woke up, and immediately regretted doing so. She felt sore all over, every muscle and bone in her body aching horribly, and she couldn’t help but groan, curling up in her bed. _‘Stupid Nui, stupid Nui’_ , she thought bitterly, keeping her eyes shut as she tried to force herself back to sleep. Now if only that incessant panting would stop, she’d have an easier time of it.

Wait…

Her eyes snapped open. There was a large man leaning over her, panting uncomfortably close to her face, his eyes obscured behind the glint of his glasses. A hand reached out towards her, but Nui was having none of that, drawing her legs up from underneath him, and then kicking him square in the jaw. Before he could recover from that she wrapped her legs around the offending arm, locking him in place above her, as she drew one of the few tacking needles she still had left and pressed it to his throat.

“Hi there. I’m not really up for playing games right now, so mind telling me who you are and where I am?” she demanded, glancing around the unfamiliar room as she spoke. When she failed to find what she was looking for her expression soured, and the man groaned as her hold on his arm tightened. “And where is my scissor blade?”

And then Mako strolled in. “Oh, hey Nui! You’re up already?” she noted, sliding over to the bedside as if Nui wasn’t currently arm-barring someone. She finally seemed to notice the man when she got there, but instead of screaming or trying to help, she just oohed excitedly. “And you’re already playing games with my dad? Let me join in too, I love Twister!”

“Sweetie, this isn’t the-” Nui paused mid-sentence, giving Mako a shocked look. “Wait, he’s your dad? As in your dad, the doctor?”

Mako nodded. “Yep! You were beaten up pretty badly, so Dad’s been looking after you ever since you got here.”

Nui’s eyes darted back to Mako’s father, and when she saw that there were bandages in the hand she was arm-barring, her heart sank. _‘Not again.’_ She immediately released her hold on Mako’s father, hanging her head in shame. “I’m really, really sorry, Mr … uh, Dr Mankanshoku.”

Though his arm still hurt, judging by the way he rubbed at it, Mako’s father laughed. “Wow, you’ve got some strong legs on you. Mako said you were a fighter and she wasn’t wrong!” He then leapt up onto his feet, grinning widely as he gave her a thumbs up. “No need for formalities, by the way, call me Barazo Mankanshoku!”

**[BARAZO MANKANSHOKU]**

Mako nodded again. “Dad doesn’t like it when you call him doctor Mankanshoku. Says it upsets the feds.”

“Apparently you need a license to be a doctor, but what do they know? Less than half the patients I treat end up dead!” Barazo shouted proudly.

Nui went pale. “Wait, wha-”

Suddenly there was a loud crash, and a dog came flying through the door, flipping several times over in the air before landing on top of Nui. “Guts!” it barked out, and Nui couldn't help but giggle as it began licking at her face.

“Aw, aren’t you just the cutest little dog ever? Yes you are. I just want to pinch your little cheeks and hug you all day lo-” And then the dog thrust its head into Nui’s cleavage, its little legs flailing around as it rummaged around her dress. Nui raised her eyebrow at Mako. “Uh, sweetie, why is your dog molesting me?”

“Oh, that’s just Guts for you. He’s probably looking for food or something”, Mako giggled, and sure enough, Guts resurfaced with several of Nui’s leftover permissions crammed into his mouth, spitting juice all over her as he gnawed on them.

“Guts!” he barked happily.

**[GUTS]**

Gently moving Guts back to the floor, Nui’s expression softened. “Geez, you’re simply too adorable to be mad at, cutie.” She looked over to Mako. “I guess we’re at your place then.”

“Yeah! My brother found you right after you totalled our car, and brought you back here. You’re in my room right now”, Mako explained, grabbing Nui by the cheeks and giving her a forced tour of the room. Said room was absolutely cluttered with anime figures, posters, DVDs, and mangas-- some of which she’d never even heard of before-- all topped off with a garish wallpaper that simply repeated the words ‘Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure’ over and over again. Even the blanket that covered her had an anime theme to it; Sailor Moon this time, unsurprisingly. “Pretty neat, huh? And as my new best friend, you get to share all of this with me!”

“That sounds… wonderful, sweetie”, she muttered, gently prying Mako’s hands off her face with her own.

Mako shivered at the contact. “Wow, your hands are super cold! And so were your cheeks, come to think of it. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Don’t worry, silly, that’s how I normally am”, Nui said with a smile, and Mako grinned right back, still tightly clasping her hands. When she showed no signs of retracting them, however, Nui had to do it herself, clearing her throat awkwardly before turning back to Barazo. “I’m sorry for breaking your car, by the way.”

“No need to worry, I’ll just add it to your medical bills!” Barazo roared in laughter, and Nui joined him-- albeit nowhere near as deafeningly loud-- fully expecting it to be a joke. She promptly stopped laughing when he handed her a very long list, packed to the brim with medical expenses and car damages, and when she gave him the ‘are you serious’ look, he shrugged. “What? A back alley doctor’s gotta make his money somehow.”

 **[** ~~**FRAUDSTER** ~~ **BACK ALLEY DOCTOR]**

Barazo started to laugh again, but was struck over the head by a metal spoon before he could really get going, falling to the floor in a pained heap. Above him, a slim woman smiled, holding a massive plate of the most greasy, alien food Nui had ever seen. “Dear, what have I told you about stealing from your patients?” she asked.

**[SUKUYO MANKANSHOKU]**

“Make sure they’re dead first?” Barazo groaned, rubbing the bulging lump on his head.

Sukuyo rushed over to Nui’s bedside “Oh, you poor dear, you must be starving after everything you’ve been through. Here, have some of my Mystery Croquettes! They’re packed full of all sorts of yummy, non-poisonous goodness!”

Nui stared down at the plate, watching the croquettes pulse, and found she didn't feel quite so hungry anymore.  She gave Sukuyo an apologetic smile. “Gosh, it all looks so… yummy, but I really can’t eat that. Your wonderful family has helped me more than enough already, and I’d feel bad ta-” And then she was choking as Sukuyo jammed several croquettes into her mouth.

“Nonsense, dear, eat as much as you want, it’s all on the house! You’ve had such a terrible day, and when my Mako has terrible days, a delicious meal always cheers her right up!” Sukuyo said, stuffing another spoonful of croquettes into Nui’s mouth before she could protest. She had no choice but to chew and swallow the croquettes in her mouth, and when she did so, her eyes widened.

She shot up in the air, pigtails ramrod stiff and frozen out of shock. “This stuff is absolutely amazing!” she cried out, happily devouring another spoonful when it was offered to her. She couldn’t quite figure the taste out; there were so many varying flavours, each one seeming to contradict the last, but when they all came together it was like heaven in her mouth, and she couldn’t help but shiver at ever divine bite she took. Eventually, Sukuyo just gave her the spoon, and Nui dug into the croquettes with fervour, all semblance of table manners forgotten. “This is the yummiest food I’ve ever had! What did you put in these things?” she asked between bites.

“I’m so happy you like it. I have no idea what half the ingredients are, to be honest, but there’s definitely a few rats, stray dogs, worms, and a couple pigeons crammed in there somewhere! That’s the fun of my Mystery Croquettes though, you never know what you’re going to get”, Sukuyo explained, her smile remaining even as Nui spat out what she was eating.

“What? You’re just trying to be funny, right?” she asked, when Sukuyo shook her head, Nui went pale, pushing the plate as far away as possible. Guts was quick to jump on the bed and dig into what she’d left behind, and she watched him with a grimace. “That’s… that’s gross! Why? You’ve got a lovely house and a car, and Mako has a dozen anime figures which probably cost tens of thousands of yen each! Why would you ever need to use such icky ingredients like that?”

“Because it’s a delicious family recipe, of course!” Mako cheered, and everyone in the room save for Nui nodded in agreement.

Groaning, Nui fell back into the bed, pigtails poofing around her. “Ugh, I think I’ve had my fill, thank you.”

“Sweet, more for us then!” Mako said, diving at the plate along with her dad, and from there a scuffle quickly broke out between them and Guts. It was like something out of a cartoon; a cloud of dust and food and flailing limbs formed, rolling around the room and smashing into every piece of furniture in its path, and Nui found herself too confused to do anything more than watch.

Eventually, someone was spat out from the scuffle, slamming into the cabinet by Nui’s side, and when she realised who it was she became even more confused. “Hey, aren’t you the kid from that cute little gang I met earlier? When did you get here?”

Mataro jumped back up onto his feet, dusting himself off. “I smelt the food, of course! And I’d have to be pretty insane to pass up Mum’s croquettes!”

**[MATARO MANKANSHOKU]**

He smirked at Nui. “Speaking of insane, you must be all kinds of crazy trying to fight Ryuko Kiryuin in that ballerina outfit. Knew you had a couple screws loose the first time we met.”

“You two know each other?” Mako asked, her head popping out of the scuffle despite still being involved in it.

“Yeah, his cute little gang tried to rob me earlier. They didn’t do very well, poor things, but-”  Nui was interrupted by a loud clang as Mataro fall to the ground, cradling his head. Sukuyo stood over him with that all too cheerful expression of hers, patting her metal spoon against the palm of her hand.

“Mataro, haven’t I warned you about shaking people down already?” she asked.

“Why’d you tell everyone that? I saved your crazy ass!” Mataro groaned, glaring up at Nui as he rubbed his bruised head. Sukuyo wasn’t finished with him yet though, lifting Mataro up by the scruff of his collar before twisting him into a painful looking armlock, all the while still smiling cheerfully. “Okay, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I won’t do it again, I swear!”

Nui just watched Mataro flail about in his mother's arms, then turned back to the scuffle that was still going on at the other end of the room, before sighing and flopping back onto the bed.

“Gosh, this is all a little too much, even for me”, she muttered.

 

* * *

 

Roars echoed across the training hall as Ryuko laid into every training dummy within her sight, imagining Nui Matoi’s face on each and every one as she struck them with such force that they shattered into tiny shards of wood. Even the metal ones, designed for training with Goku Uniforms, offered little resistance, and it only took a few punches until they too were scattered across the floor in pieces. But no matter how many dummies she destroyed, none could give her the satisfaction she sought; Nui’s self-righteous smirk remained etched in her mind, and it made her angrier and angrier until finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. She drew Bakuzan, and with a roar swung at the remaining dummies so hard that the resulting shockwave turned them to dust, and left a massive scar across the wall in front of her.

Silence reigned for several moments, with only Ryuko’s haggard breath echoing across the hall, until finally, a cocky voice spoke up, “I’m guessing the Matoi girl’s got you pissed then.”

“Oh, is that what you think, Sanageyama? What gave it away? Was I not subtle enough for your all-seeing eyes?” Ryuko snarked, sheathing Bakuzan as she glared at Sanageyama, who stood a conspicuously safe distance away along with the rest of her Elite Four.

“It’s called Tengantsu, actually. And I’m just surprised, that’s all. Been a long time since someone’s managed to piss you off like that”, Sanageyama said with a shrug.

**[UZU SANAGEYAMA: STUDENT COUNCIL ATHLETIC COMMITTEE CHAIR]**

“Lady Ryuko has every right to be angry! The Matoi girl dared to threaten Honnouji Academy, and insulted Lady Ryuko in front of the entire school! SUCH CRIMES CANNOT GO UNPUNISHED!” Gamagori roared next to Sanageyama, glaring down at the shorter man.

**[IRA GAMAGORI: STUDENT COUNCIL DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE CHAIR]**

Grimacing, Sanageyama cleared his ear with a finger. “Geez, no need to shout, I’m standing right next to you.”

Ryuko strolled over to her Elite Four, anger momentarily abated as she turned to Gamagori. “I appreciate your concern, but between Haru, Jun, and myself I think Matoi has been thoroughly punished. She’ll be back, no doubt about it, but she’s not gonna be peddling the cocky attitude again if she knows what’s good for her.” She paused in front of them, and a scowl crossed her face. “Still don’t make me any less pissed, though.” Ryuko waved that thought away, glancing back at her Elite Four. “In any case, I’ve arranged for Haru and Jun to make preparations for Matoi’s return. We’ll be ready for any shit she pulls this time.”

Beside Gamagori, a diminutive girl frowned. “Do we really need to be worried about Matoi coming back? That Sailor Moon wannabe got her butt kicked by a couple two-stars last time I checked. If all she’s got to give is a fancy scissor and that shallow, basic personality of hers, then I doubt even the Toad needs to be afraid”, Nonon remarked snidely, grinning at the bristling reaction she got out of Gamagori.

**[NONON JAKUZURE: STUDENT COUNCIL NON-ATHLETIC COMMITTEE CHAIR]**

“And that’s where you’re utterly wrong, Nonon. That fancy scissor blade of hers is a weapon designed to destroy Goku Uniforms”, Ryuko told her, and her Elite Four responded with shock, save for Inumuta. Ryuko looked over to him. “It ain’t that much of a surprise once you got the details. She’s Isshin Matoi’s daughter, and from what Inumuta’s been able to gather, Isshin worked for Nudist Beach before his death. He may have even founded the damn thing, correct?”

**[HOKA INUMUTA: STUDENT COUNCIL INFORMATION AND STRATEGY COMMITTEE CHAIR]**

The bespectacled boy nodded, his collar opening up. “Correct. In fact, ever since Isshin Matoi’s demise, Nui Matoi has been actively harassing REVOCS facilities in the eastern Kanto region, along with several schools under our sphere of influence. If her actions are to be believed, she may be a member of Nudist Beach herself, or at the very least sympathetic to their cause.” Inumuta paused, flipping his tablet over so the others could see it too. On it, a security camera feed of Nui slicing through the Life Fiber-enhanced armour of REVOCS guards could be seen. “More importantly, however, her scissor blade is more than capable of cutting through anything made of Life Fibers. Even Life Fiber nets and barriers, which are often made up of one hundred per cent Life Fibers, have offered little resistance to Matoi’s scissor blade.”

Ryuko turned back to the rest of her Elite Four. “Long story short, she could slice through any of our Goku Uniforms like a hot knife through butter if she gets the opportunity, and that makes her a threat to everyone here. We gotta find out where she stands. If she’s only here for me, then we let her stay, but if she tries to kill anyone after Haru and Jun spring their trap, then I’ll kill her myself.”

“Lady Ryuko, I respect your judgement immensely, but I cannot condone this plan. If what you say is true, then Matoi cannot be allowed to stay, even if she’s only here for you. Your life is far too important to be risked in such a way”, Gamagori protested.

Beside him, Nonon nodded frantically. “For once, I agree with the Toad. You can’t put your life on the line like this, Ryuko, not when we’re so close to-”

Ryuko waved her hand, silencing Nonon’s protests. For the first time since the Nui fight, however, there was a genuine smile on her face. “I appreciate how much you all care, I really do, but this what we’re doing. You were about to say it yourself, Nonon, we’re so close to achieving our goal, and that’s why I want Nui Matoi here. I think there’s more to her than just that scissor blade, and if I’m right, we could use her in the battles to come. Any advantage we can gain over our enemies is worth a small risk to my life.” Her elite’s still didn’t seem entirely convinced, but she waved off any further attempts they made at protesting. “And that’s final. If I turn out to be wrong, you can all mock me for it later, but right now, this is how we’re doing things.”

Gamagori sighed, but bowed nonetheless, the rest of the elite’s promptly following suit. “Very well, my lady, we shall trust in your judgement.”

An awkward silence followed, hanging in the air for several moments, until Sanageyama finally coughed, drawing the attention back to him. “So then, what’s this trap you’ve got Haru and Jun cooking up?”

Ryuko smirked. “It’s simple. We’re gonna throw some bait, and catch ourselves a delinquent.”  


* * *

 

Mako was whistling some sort of anime theme song, kicking her legs about in time to the tune as she applied the last of very many plasters to herself, when the doorbell rang. She shot up from where she sat, head smashing through the ceiling, then fell back down to the floor again, before quickly jumping back up. Unperturbed by the dust and plaster that now caked her face and hair, she rushed to the stairs, whereupon she tripped and rolled the whole way down, shouting “I’ve got it! I’ve got it!” as she went. She slammed into the door, somehow managing to open it with her foot in the process, and she stared up at the visitor through the gap between her thighs.

A woman stared right back at her, tall and with black, shoulder length hair, barely clothed save for a few conventionally placed ammo belts around her chest and waist. Each belt bristled with a variety of weapons, from strange, sewing machine-shaped guns, to grenade bobbins and tailor-styled knives. What drew her attention most, however, was the eyepatch over the woman’s right eye, almost hidden behind her thick bangs.

“This is the Mankanshoku household, correct?” the woman asked, the corners of her mouth twitching as she barely stopped herself from laughing at Mako’s appearance.

Mako didn’t seem to notice this at all, and jumped back onto her feet, taking up a strange fighting pose that she’d obviously learnt from anime, such was its sheer uselessness. “Why you asking, are you a fed?”

“A fed? What? You know we’re in Japan, right? I don’t think we actually have feds here”, the woman pointed out. When Mako refused to back down, the woman shrugged her shoulders. “Look, I’m just here to see Nui, so if I tell you who I am, will you let me in? You’ve got to promise to keep it a secret though.”

“Yeah, I’m great at keeping secrets! I once found out about my brother’s dream of becoming a J-Pop singer, whatever that is, and he was so embarrassed by it that he made me promise never to tell anyone! And to this day I’ve never told a soul, so you can trust me to keep your secrets!” Mako swore.

The woman deadpanned, before rubbing her face and letting out a long, tired sigh. “Whatever, let’s just do this thing.” And then woman struck a pose of her own, this one far more tactically viable than Mako’s. “I am Nudist Beach’s Tactical Espionage Expert, also known as…” The woman shifted into a far more dramatic pose, arms outstretched as her hair flowed freely in the breeze, and the areas around her belt began to glow purple. “... Kinue Kinagase!”

**[KINUE KINAGASE]**

**[NUDIST BEACH: TACTICAL ESPIONAGE EXPERT]**

Mako was silent for a moment. “So… you’re a spy?”

“No, I just said I’m a Tactical Espionage Expert”, Kinue repeated.

Mako stroked her chin. “You kinda sound like a spy to me.”

“Tactical Espionage Expert”, Kinue repeated again, this time with a little agitation in her voice.

Mako was quiet for almost a minute, squinting her eyes at Kinue, before finally saying, “Are you sure you’re not a spy?”

“Tactical Espionage Expert!” Kinue snapped. She was about to start her pre-prepared rant about the obvious and numerous differences between spies and tactical espionage experts-- something normally reserved for Aikuro and Takarada-- but when it became clear that message was never going to get through to Mako she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Look, I just need to see Nui, so could you j-”

“Oh, Nui! Yeah, she’s here!” Mako confirmed, before leaning back into the house. “Nui, there’s a naked spy here to see you!”

Kinue muttered something about being a ‘tactical espionage expert’ under her breath, but before her mood could sour any further Nui’s head popped out from behind the door, and she grinned. “Hey, kid, it’s good to see you aga-”

There was a sudden whoosh of air, and Nui flew out of the house and into Kinue’s arms, hugging the woman so tightly she started to turn red. “Kinue!” she laughed, utterly oblivious to the choking noises Kinue was making.

“N-Nui! N-Nui, please, too t-tight!” she managed to rasp out. Nui blushed, releasing Kinue in an instance, an awkward chuckle passing her lips as she rubbed the back of her head. After a couple of weary pants, Kinue was chuckling as well. “Damn, kid, you seem to get stronger every time I see you. You sure you ain’t been hitting the gym?”

“Nope, just regular exercise and martial arts training, like you suggested!” Nui replied, and when Kinue brought up a hand to ruffle her hair, she smiled and leaned in, closing her eyes.

“Good to hear, we can’t be letting those clothes worshipping weirdos get ahead of you now, can we?” Nui’s smile dropped at that, and she tilted her head to the ground.

“Oh, I guess you didn’t hear, they already have. Little miss Shadow the Hedgehog and her goons kicked my ass and tossed me out of their school. No amount of training’s gonna help against their uniforms. Even if I go back better prepared, I don’t think I can-”

Nui paused when she felt a hand on her shoulder, and glanced up to see Kinue smiling down at her. “Hey, none of that doubting yourself BS, it ain’t your style. We all get our asses kicked from time to time, comes with the territory of being a Nudist. Hell, I know our infirmary layout like the back of my hand, I’ve been there so often. You could get your ass kicked by the Kiryuin girl a dozen times or a hundred times or maybe even a thousand times over, but it don’t matter at the end of the day. What matters is that you keep picking yourself back up, and you keep fighting for what you believe in. And if you do that, you’ll win eventually. Nothing stops sheer determination.” Nui’s smile returned at that, just a little, and Kinue rustled her hair before continuing, “As for those Goku Uniforms, don’t sweat it, kid, that’s why I’m here. There’s a little something Isshin left behind, just for you, and we’re gonna go grab it.”

“A present from Dad? Ooh, I can’t wait!” Nui squeed, embracing Kinue once more. Less tightly this time, of course. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Reciprocating the hug, Kinue let out a bellow of a laugh. “That’s more like the Nui I know. No more of that mopey shit now, the only thing I want to see on your face for the rest of the day is a smile, you got that?”

Nui nodded, letting herself lean into the hug a little more. Silence fell between the two of them, and she was more than happy to waste a little time embracing the woman who’d practically raised her-- alongside her dad, of course-- before they’d inevitably have to return to business. Plus Kinue gave the best hugs in the world, always eager to reciprocate them despite how cold Nui normally was, so really it was a win-win situation for her either way.

Out of nowhere, she felt a soft, warm presence on her side, and she turned to find Mako now hugging her as well. When Mako saw her raised eyebrow, as well as Kinue’s own confused expression, she smiled. “Mako, what are you doing?” Nui asked.

“I’m hugging you, of course. When I saw my best friend was handing them out, I just couldn’t resist!”

Beside her, Kinue snickered. “I’m glad to see you’ve made a new friend so quickly, Nui”, she teased as she retracted her arms, an action which also allowed Nui to slip free from Mako’s embrace, much to Mako’s disappointment.

She was right back to smiling though when she turned to Kinue. “Well, if you’re Nui’s friend then you’re my friend too! You should totally come in, by the way, my Mum’s making another batch of her delicious Mystery Croquettes and you’ve just got to try them! They’re super duper yummy!” Mako exclaimed.

Kinue glanced at Nui, and found her subtly shaking her head, mouthing ‘it’s a trap’. “Sorry, but Nui and I have really got to get going now. Another time maybe”, she told Mako, who visibly deflated at the news.

Her disappointment only lasted for a few seconds, however, and she abruptly screamed, causing both Nui and Kinue to jump a little. “Your scissor blade! I almost forgot to give you your scissor blade! I’ll be right back!” And then she zipped off, leaving a cloud of dust in her wake as she disappeared into the house.

“And here I thought you were a little quirky. Not that that’s a bad thing, mind you, but that girl takes it to a whole ‘nother level”, Kinue said, motioning for Nui to follow her. A motorbike was parked at the side of the road, a deep blue paint job with various depictions of burning clothes on it, and with a snap of her fingers, it unlocked. “I can’t believe you were about to forget your scissor blade, by the way.”

“I wasn’t going to forget it, I just never had the chance to bring it up! Mako and her family are a little… overwhelming”, Nui admitted, rubbing her arm in embarrassment.

“You, overwhelmed? I’ll believe it when you see it”, Kinue said, folding her arms as she leant against her bike. At that very moment, a loud smashing sound came from Mako’s house, and Kinue snorted, shaking her head. “Okay, I can kinda see your point. Still, they seem like good people. Nice enough to take you in.”

A wistful smile crossed her lips as Nui glanced at the house. “Yeah, they did, and after I fell onto their car too.”

Kinue waved that off with a laugh. “Don’t worry about that, kid, I’m sure we can convince Takarada to cover the costs.”

With a whoosh Mako came running back, sliding to a stop in front of Nui. “Here you go”, she said, handing Nui the scissor blade with a bright grin.

Her blade shone brilliantly in the sunlight, and Nui blinked surprise. “It’s so clean. You did this?”

Mako nodded. “Yeah, I used the same stuff I use to clean my anime figmas! It’s super expensive and I had to use it all up to get the job done, but I know how much you love your blade and I just couldn’t let you down!”

“... T-thank you”, Nui stuttered in earnest, this time more than happy to bring Mako into a hug, which she happily reciprocated.

Kinue cleared her throat after a moment. “As adorable as your flirting is, we should probably get going now. Don’t want those REVOCS freaks catching wind of us, after all.”

Nui glared at Kinue for the little flirting remark, but otherwise agreed with her, releasing Mako and mounting the motorbike along with the Nudist Beach agent. Both slipped on a pair of stylish, purple tinted riding goggles. “Remember, Mankanshoku, you didn’t see me and you don’t know who I am”, Kinue shouted over the roar of her engine, pointedly looking Mako’s way to make sure she got the message.

Mako nodded, giving a rather messy salute. “You can count on me, Nui’s spy friend!”

“God damn it, kid, it’s Tactical Espionage Expert”, Kinue muttered under her breath, and behind her, Nui giggled. “Whatever. Naked Dazzling Comet, let’s go!”

**[NAKED DAZZLING COMET]**

With a burst of flames from the exhaust, the motorbike shot off down the road, Nui’s pigtails flailing wildly the wind as they raced towards the Matoi mansion. Mako waved them off. “Bye Nui, see you at school tomorrow!” Once she was sure they were out of sight, she let out a high pitched squee, dancing excitedly on the spot. “Wow, two new friends on the same day and they’re both super awesome fighter spies? Best day ever!” Before she could finish her little dance, however, a shadow covered her, and she turned to see both Haru and Jun standing right next to her. “Oh, hey there! Are you two spies as well?”

They both gave each other a confused look, before turning back to Mako and showing her the rope and duffel bag they were carrying. “Uh… no, we’re actually here to kidnap you”, Haru told her.

“... Oh.”


	3. Guess I'll Hang My Tears Out To Dry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Special thanks to Discordence (FFN) and Jodasgreat (FFN) for betaing this chapter.

The Matoi mansion was a husk of its former self; gutted by flames and the explosion that had torn through it, there was little left other than a scant few standing walls and the scattered, charred beams that had once held up the roof. Nui slowly wandered through what had once been the dining room, black ash staining her pink boots with every step she took, but she found little inclination to care. She stopped by the ravaged remains of a fireplace, glancing at the picture frame that still stood atop it. It was a photo of herself and her father, taken back when was she still small enough to be carried by him, though, by cruel coincidence, the fire had completely consumed her father's visage, leaving only her behind.

Thinking about him brought back memories of that day, unfortunately, and the images bounced around in her head.

That horrible sense of dread that had taken hold when she saw the mansion burning from a distance, and the panicked, agonisingly long sprint that had followed. The suffocating heat that had surrounded her as she found her father propped up against a wall, barely alive, the scissor blade impaled through his heart. Her struggling to drag him out, even as the fire closed in all around them. Him throwing her out of the window just before an explosion consumed him, leaving her with only the scissor blade and his final, gut-wrenching words: "I'm sorry". And then finally the murderer; a faint silhouette of a woman, blurred by the tears that had been in Nui's eyes, leaping off into the woods with the other half of her dad's scissors.

Planting her parasol into the floor, Nui sighed, tears stinging at the corners of her eyes. ' _Don't cry, you idiot. Not in front of Kinue. Especially not in front of Dad'_ , she chastised herself, but despite that, a few tears still managed to find their way through, trickling down her cheeks. What was the point in crying, anyway? She'd spent the entire week after her father's death locked away in Kinue's apartment, bawling her eyes out until she felt physically sick, and what had that got her? Nothing. It hadn't brought her father back, hadn't brought his murderer to justice, and certainly hadn't made her feel any better. It was nothing more than selfish nonsense.

"I thought I told you I only wanted to see you smiling from now on", Kinue teased from across the room, but when she tilted her head and saw the tears on Nui's cheeks her grin disappeared. "Aw shit, kid, I'm sorry. That was wrong of me. Take as much time as you-"

"I should've been here."

Kinue raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry?"

Nui sighed, wiping away the tears with one of her fingerless gloves. "I was out when it happened, on some stupid shopping trip, when I should've been here. I could've saved him."

She felt Kinue wrap an arm around her shoulders. "Nui, I can't begin to imagine how hard it is to lose family, I really can't. But honestly, I'm glad you weren't here when it happened, and I'm betting your father was too." Nui's head snapped up at that, a hurt look on her face, but Kinue put a finger to her lips before she could protest. "Before you say anything, kid, that ain't me insulting you, so don't take it too harshly. Let's be real though, you were a lot more sheltered six months ago, even with that training your father was putting you through. Isshin was a better fighter than you at the time, and you know that, so if he couldn't beat whoever attacked him, you wouldn't have stood a chance either. You would've died for nothing had you been here, but now?" Kinue bent down, wiping away what remained of Nui's tears with a finger, smiling all the while. "Now you've got a chance to find justice for your dad. That's gotta be worth something, right?"

Sniffling a little, Nui nodded. "Yeah, I guess so." She looked up at Kinue after a couple seconds, and a hard scowl crossed her face. "And when we find out who did it, I'll kill them myself. I'll kill all the Kiryuins too."

Kinue nodded, wrapping her hands around Nui's own. "And I'll help you. For Isshin, and for humanity as a whole." A brief pause later, she stood up, motioning for Nui to follow her as she left the room. Nui complied, of course, but couldn't tell where she was being led; each turn Kinue made seemed preplanned, but their walk was taking them far away from any notable room, and into a part of the mansion that had rarely been used even when it wasn't a burnt out husk. Kinue continued talking as they walked, "It's such a shame to see this place burnt down though, isn't it? All those cute little photos of you when you were a kid, all those lovely dresses you made, even that little corner we use to huddle up in when we played video games; they're all gone now. Nothing but memories without a home to call their own."

"Yeah", was all Nui said to that, because what else could she really say? She'd been raised here from birth, homeschooled here by her father when no school would take her, trained here by Kinue when she'd learnt the horrible truth about REVOCS and the Life Fibers. Every memory- be it good or bad, painful or joyful- was linked to this place in some way or another. And now it was all gone, nothing but smoke and ash.

Gone, just like her dad.

' _Not forgotten'_ , she told herself, gritting her teeth as the murderer's silhouette flashed before her eyes once more. ' _Never forgotten.'_

"Ah, this must be the spot!" Kinue exclaimed out of the blue, stopping so suddenly Nui almost collided with her. She glanced around, trying to see what Kinue was talking about, but as far as she could tell it was just some random, empty hallway, trickles of rain beating down on them through the ruined ceiling. Before she could question their purpose here, Kinue grabbed her by the shoulders, moving her to a specific position in the hallway, whereupon her boots clacked against something metal. "Now then, you're gonna need the right tools if you wanna go about hunting down Isshin's killer and tearing REVOCS apart, and that means getting that little present Isshin left for you. So I hope you can forgive me for what I'm about to do."

"Eh? What are you on abo- Ow!" Nui yelped as Kinue sliced a knife across her palm, drawing a steady flow of blood. She was so shocked by this that she failed to notice Kinue taking a couple steps back. "Hey, what was that for?"

"Consider it part of your induction for Nudist Beach training. Oh, and make sure you're still bleeding when you've finished falling down that shaft, otherwise you won't get your new uniform", Kinue warned, earning a confused look from Nui.

"What-" Kinue pressed her foot down, and after an ominous click, the trapdoor beneath Nui opened up. "Shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-!" she screamed, falling into the shaft.

Kinue leaned over the trapdoor, watching Nui plummet into the darkness. "Oh geez, that's a lot deeper than I thought it'd be", she muttered, before cupping her hands around her mouth and shouting, "Nui, don't forget about your parasol! Might come in handy right about now!"

With Nui now well out of sight, Kinue flipped out a phone, calling the number she had on speed dial. "Aikuro? Nui's on her way to Isshin's lab now, shouldn't be too long before she makes contact with the Kamui. I just hope to god it actually works."

"Isshin Matoi left behind specific instructions to give her that Kamui. If it doesn't work, I'll be very surprised", Aikuro reassured her, before she heard a sigh from him. "Anyway, I'm glad to hear you've made some progress, because it seems Ryuko Kiryuin's been quite busy herself. She's got her two-stars setting up some sort of wrestling-themed execution at Honnouji Academy for the Mankanshoku girl. If I had to guess, I'd say Lady Ryuko's trying to bait Nui into coming back, though I couldn't say why."

Kinue grimaced. "Definitely sounds like bait to me, public executions ain't exactly Ryuko's MO. Not that Nui's gonna care, mind you. If she gets that Kamui working she'll be springing that trap regardless of what we say."

"I guess we have no choice but to let her spring the trap then."

Kinue nodded, even though the action was rather wasted on Aikuro. "Agreed. I'll hang around Honnouji Academy for a bit, just in case things go wrong and Nui needs saving again. In any case, it should be a good test for her compatibility with the Kamui... if it works."

"Kinue, there's no need to be nervous about this, it will work. Trust Isshin, he hasn't let us down so far, has he?"

"... Fine, fine. You're the boss anyway, not like I got a say in it. I'm on my way back to Honnouji now", Kinue told him, before hanging up. She snorted, shaking her head as she strolled back to her motorbike. "It's easy for you to say 'don't be nervous', Aikuro, you don't know what I know. It won't be you telling the kid the truth if things go south, that's gonna be on me. That Kamui better fucking work."

* * *

Tumbling head over heels down the shaft, Nui would've cursed Kinue out with every bad word she knew were her mouth not currently occupied with screaming. She bounced off one side of the shaft and then the other, smacking into metal over and over again until finally, she took Kinue's advice and opened her parasol. Just in time too, as a moment later she tumbled out of the shaft, and the parasol allowed her to float harmlessly down the floor, thankfully avoiding a second hard landing of the day.

Once back on solid ground she dusted herself off, and took in her new location. The place was poorly lit, with only a few rays of natural light finding their way this far down- thanks in no small part to the large, worryingly Dad-shaped hole in the ceiling- but it was enough for Nui to be able to determine where she was. "Dad's lab", she muttered in realisation. In hindsight it was no surprise the lab had survived the fire, being buried so deep in the ground it could probably double as a nuclear bunker, but it warmed her heart nonetheless to know that at least some part of her family home had survived.

She tried to walk but immediately slipped, her boots tangled up in a pile of clothes she'd been standing on, and when she fell she caught herself with her hands, inadvertently allowing her blood to seep into the pile. She took no notice of that though, scanning the laboratory with a grimace. The entire place was almost filled to the ceiling with piles of manky, old clothes. "I don't remember it being this messy. Gosh, Dad, what were you up to down here?"

Admittedly it'd been a long time since she was last down here. Her father had kept few secrets from her- at least to her knowledge- but his work down here had always been one of them. In fact, she could count the number of times she'd been down here on one hand, the last of which being little over a year ago, when he'd struck her with the shocking revelation about Life Fibers and the true intentions of REVOCS. Otherwise, the lab was always off limits to her, a rule she'd resented for many years, as it had monopolised much of her father's time throughout her life.

Nui sighed, sitting down on the pile and drawing her legs into her arms. ' _Is that what you meant when you said you were sorry, Dad? That you didn't spend enough time with me?'_  she thought, a sad smile crossing her lips. ' _If it was, there was no need for it. It was my fault. I was always too selfish for your love.'_

Before too long she was crying again. She hated herself for it, for being so weak, but she just couldn't help it. ' _Why did things have to change? Life was perfect when it was just you, me, and Kinue. Why couldn't I save you? Why can't I even find the answers I need? Stupid, weak, pathetic Nui.'_

"More... " A strange voice echoed through the lab, and Nui immediately jumped to her feet, drawing her scissor blade even as the tears continued to roll down her cheeks. "Give me more…" The voice uttered again, faint and weak.

Nui growled, pointing her blade at the source of the voice, only to find no one there. "How dare you come down here! I don't care who you are, you show yourself right now, mister, or I will tear you to shreds!"

"I don't want to hurt you… I just need more. More… more... more of your blood!" There was rustling to her left, and Nui twisted around in time to see several articles of clothes flying her way. She sliced the first few into scraps with her scissor blade, but when she saw what was following them, her eyes widened.

There was a pink, lolita-style dress flying towards her, not too dissimilar from what she was currently wearing, the key difference being the strange, butterfly-shaped bow at its front. One side of that bow seemed to have an eye- just like Ryuko Kiryuin's sailor uniform had- with an angular pattern of pink on the outside, then yellow in the middle, and finally pink again for what appeared to be the iris, while the other side was covered by a purple eyepatch, a pink, flower-shaped scar on top of it.

"Is that a talking… dress?" Nui questioned, so shocked by what she was seeing that she never finished swinging her scissor blade. Instead, the dress tackled her, knocking her down the pile of clothes she'd been on and pinning her up against the wall.

"Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you! I just need more of your blood, so please put me on! Put me on! Put me on!" the dress begged, trying to shimmy its way onto Nui even as she resisted.

"You've got to be kidding me! First I get molested by a dog and now a talking dress?" she questioned incredulously, wrestling with the talking dress. It was surprisingly strong, however, tearing her own dress to pieces despite her best efforts, leaving her exposed to the chilly air in just a bra and panties.

"I only want more of your blood! I've been so hungry down here, and your icy cold blood is so refreshing, so please just put me on!" the dress pleaded, but could not force its way onto Nui despite all its struggling. "Please stop resisting, this will be a mutually beneficial arrangement, I swear! Your blood for my power!"

Nui paused at that, raising her eyebrow at the dress. "Wait, power? How? You mean like a Goku Uniform?"

"I don't know what a Goku Uniform is, but I just know I can make you stronger, it's something I've always known! Now please stop wasting time and put me on!" the dress begged, throwing itself at Nui once more, but she kept it at bay while she considered its proposal.

' _Yes, that's what I need; power. Power to beat those crummy two-stars, and wipe the smirk off that Kiryuin bitch. Power to find Dad's killer. Power to destroy REVOCS and the Life Fibers once and for all'_ , she thought, and with that realisation in mind, she stopped struggling.

Nui looked down at the dress and nodded. "Okay, do it."

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

There was a blinding flash of pink as the dress slipped itself onto her, and then Nui was screaming, as a power unlike any other surged through her. Electricity crackled all around her as she staggered forward, watching the dress take on a new, exceptionally skimpy form, and when she realised exactly what was happening, the screaming stopped, and the laughter began. Not one of her normal giggles either, but a full-blown, almost manic laugh, which echoed throughout the abandoned laboratory.

"Alrighty then, you Honnouji Academy bums, time to bring this opening act to a close! And what better way to close the curtain than with Isshin Matoi's ultimate creation; a true Nudist's outfit, tailored for vengeance! Let's see how mundane I am now, shall we, Ryuko Kiryuin?!"

* * *

"As a result of numerous violations of the rules of Honnouji Academy- as set out by our fair and benevolent student council president, Lady Ryuko Kiryuin- including skipping class, destruction of property, aiding and abetting a delinquent, assault on a fellow student, and assault on a two-star captain, Mako Mankanshoku is hereby sentenced to death!" Haru's voice echoed across Honno City, amplified by the multitude of speakers lining the streets. He stood in a wrestling ring within Honnouji Academy, with Jun to his left, and Mako dangling several metres above them, pinned to a metal girder by numerous staples.

Jun snatched the microphone from Haru, much to the hall monitor captain's displeasure, and his eighteen girlfriends swooned as he spoke, "I'll perform the execution in one hour by smashing Mankanshoku repeatedly through these tables until she's dead. And unlike with that fake performing sports shit they pull at WWE, these tables aren't props. They're real and as hard as steel!"

Mako glanced down and saw stacks and stacks of tables beneath her, some bristling with massive spikes, other caked in glue and tar, and yet more glowing red hot, to name but a few of the tortures that awaited her. "Oh no, Dad says I should only smash my head against walls and car bonnets when I want to remember something, not tables! If you do that I might die, and if I die I won't be able to hang out with my new bestie or watch my favourite anime box sets or hang out with my new bestie while watching my favourite anime box sets! This is bad! This is so very bad!" she shrieked, squirming uselessly against the Life Fiber staples.

From her vantage point atop the student council tower, Nonon snorted. "That girl's got more than a few screws loose. Guess it's clear why Matoi's friends with her, they're like two peas in a pod."

Beside her, Gamagori grimaced, turning to Ryuko. "Lady Ryuko, I know this is part of the plan to bait Matoi, but I cannot condone Mankanshoku's execution. She was barely even an accessory to Matoi's crimes, and by your own laws she deserves no more than a few hours in the detention stocks as punishment."

"Aw, does the Toad have a crush on the slacker?" Nonon snickered, smirking up at Gamagori.

"Perhaps we should be more concerned about our esteemed Displicanary Chair jumping in to save the day rather than the Matoi girl", Inumuta added, though he never once took his eyes off his laptop.

Gamagori bristled at their comments. "Unlike you two I care about the laws of this school. AND WE MUST ADHERE TO THOSE LAWS JUST AS EVERY OTHER STUDENT DOES!"

"Gamagori, I swear if you scream in my ear again I'll take those whips of yours and shove 'em up your goddamn ass", Ryuko warned, glaring fiercely at Gamagori, and the Displicanary Chair visibly shrunk back. Junketsu let out a satisfied growl around her, as if urging her rage on, but Ryuko ignored it, taking a deep breath to quell her anger. "But you're right, it'd be wrong to kill Mankanshoku, and that's why we ain't doing it. If Matoi turns out to be a no-show, which I doubt, I'll simply grant Mankanshoku mercy, and that'll be the end of that. That's why Sanageyama is down there, to make sure Haru and Jun don't go overboard."

"Forgive me, my lady, I meant no disrespect", Gamagori said, bowing lowly.

"Nothing to forgive. Honestly, I'd be more annoyed if you didn't question my methods", Ryuko admitted, before turning back to the wrestling ring. Her eyes sought out Sanageyama, and when they found him looking right back at her, she gave her Elite a slight nod. He nodded straight back; the message was clear.

"Alright, Jun, time to ramp it up! Let Matoi know we mean business!" Sanageyama shouted, and the wrestling captain gave a sharp salute.

"Hey, new girl, Mankanshoku's blood will be on your hands! It's you who dragged her into this, and now it's you who's hiding away like a coward while she suffers! Where's all that cockiness and bluster from earlier gone? Has it abandoned you, just like you're abandoning your friend now? You better find it again, because if you wanna save her life, you're gonna have to come down here and fight us!" Jun taunted, and his eighteen girlfriends swooned once more as he grinned handsomely.

"Wow, you've got so many mean things to say about little old me. I didn't make you poor boys wait too long, did I?" Both Jun and Haru nearly jumped out of their skin, snapping round to find Nui standing right behind them. She smiled innocently, covered from head to toe in a dirty brown cloak.

"H-how the hell did you do that? When did you get behind us?" Haru spluttered.

"I used my parasol to float all the way here, silly! Guess you boys were too busy shouting to notice me float my way in", Nui giggled, lightly bonking Haru's nose with her parasol.

The hall monitor growled, taking several steps back to distance himself from her. "What was the point of sneaking up on us if you didn't take advantage of it? You didn't attack us, you didn't even save Mankanshoku!"

A look of puzzlement crossed Nui's face. "What are you talking about? Mako's right here." And with that she pulled Mako out from behind her, still pinned to the girder by staples. Both two-star captains turned pale, glancing up to find the other half of the metal girder still above them, sliced perfectly in half.

"Hi", Mako said, giving Jun and Haru a little wave. "My best friend's the most badass anime cosplayer spy fighter ever, so it's no surprise she managed to rescue me!"

"H-how", Haru spluttered, his eyes darting from Nui to the ruined girder above him and then back again, as if he could scarcely believe his eyes. "How? That was a steel girder, we should've at least heard you cut through it! How did you do that?"

Giggling, Nui brought her scissor blade out, and in one clean stroke sliced the Life Fiber staples in two, setting Mako free. "Well, Dad did always say I was special", she admitted, before turning to Mako, patting her friend on the shoulder. "Stand back now, Mako, I'll deal with Poindexter and the meathead."

"You got it! I wanna live a long and healthy life!" Mako saluted, before diving under the ropes, almost tackling Sanageyama in the process. "Hi."

"Yeah… uh, 'sup?" Sanageyama mumbled, eyebrow raised. He quickly shook himself out of his confusion though, turning back to the ring, shouting, "Jun, Haru, put that damn plan into action already!"

"You got it, chief!" Jun acknowledged, a smirk growing on his lips as he turned back to Nui. "Well then, I suppose you're volunteering to take your friend's punishment in her place, new girl. Mighty brave of you."

Nui simply smiled. "Nope. I came here to save Mako, and now I'm going to tear those crummy uniforms of yours apart, and maybe break a few bones along the way. Then I'll probably go say hi to your student president up there and hear all the fun things she has to tell me."

Both Haru and Jun glanced at each other, before simultaneously bursting out into laughter. "You're crazy! You're actually, certifiably, genuinely crazy! Don't you remember how badly we trounced you last time?" Haru asked. When Nui failed to answer that with anything more than that infuriating smile of hers he pulled out a switch, grinning maliciously at her. "The outcome isn't going to be any different, but you're not going to get the chance to run away this time, bitch!"

At a click of the switch, several Life Fiber tendrils shot out from each post of the wrestling ring, rising several metres into the air until they were high above Nui. From there small tendrils began to split off, connecting with one another, whereupon they froze and became as hard and solid as steel. This continued over and over again until finally, a large, cage-like structure surrounded the wrestling ring, boxing her and the two-star captains in.

Jun laughed. "You've walked straight into our trap, new girl! This isn't an execution, this is Honnouji Academy's greatest ever wrestling event, and your grand finale! Welcome to the Joint Cage Match and Tag Team Smackdown Bonanza!"

**[JOINT CAGE MATCH AND TAG TEAM SMACKDOWN BONANZA]**

"Are you quaking in your boots yet? You should be, 'cause you're not leaving this cage alive!"

Haru and Jun started to laugh again, intent on enjoying their victory, but they trailed off as quickly as they started when they realised Nui was just giggling at their elaborate trap, clapping her hands together in excitement. "Ooh, this looks like so much fun! I've never wrestled before! Who do I get to fight with?"

"Well, I'm fighting with Jun, obviously, so I figure that leaves you with Mankanshoku", Haru clarified.

Nui tilted her head. "But she's stuck outside the cage. Doesn't seem very fair to me."

Haru shrugged. "Your loss then, though it's not like she would've been much help anyway. Let's get this fight started then!"

A bell rang out, and the crowd roared with excitement as the match got underway. Haru was the first to attack, unleashing a barrage of staples into Nui, but this time she held her ground, her smiling unwavering in the face of the onslaught. "Impressive, new girl, there's few that can withstand my Life Fiber enhanced staple gun! I'm guessing you've got some kind of protection under that hobo outfit of yours, but it isn't going to save you from what's coming, because I'm just buying time for my tag team partner!" Haru shouted.

To his left Jun was already in motion, running into the ropes that surrounded the wrestling ring, before using his momentum to spring himself off them at an incredible speed, hurtling feet first towards Nui. He was travelling so fast that concussion waves tore through the air, knocking his eighteen girlfriends and many of the nearby crowd to the ground. "If you're just gonna stand there then I guess we'll just have to end this quickly! Here comes another one of my ultimate finishing moves; Sonic Boom Spike Kick!" Jun screamed, and a second later his feet slammed into Nui's face.

**[SONIC BOOM SPIKE KICK]**

Both Jun and Haru smirked, waiting for Nui to inevitably collapse from the strike, but instead of annihilating her the kick just tore her cloak apart, revealing the outfit she wore underneath.

The entire crowd gasped, and from their vantage point, Ryuko and her Elite Four stood straight up, shocked expressions on their faces. "I don't fucking believe it", Ryuko muttered, rubbing her eyes as if she were seeing things.

"That's a Goku Uniform, right?" Nonon asked, a hint of worry in her voice as she turned to Ryuko. "Right?"

Ryuko remained silent.

Nui stood proudly in the centre of the ring, wearing an outfit that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. In fact, she was practically naked from chest to waist, with her modesty shielded by just two strips of fabric on the outer halves of each breast, and what could only be described as a G-string across her privates, all of which was held together by a couple thin, heart-themed suspenders. A butterfly-shaped bow covered her collar, with a yellow and pink eye on one side, a purple eye patch on the other- a pink, flower-shaped scar atop it- and a large, bright pink heart at the very centre. On either shoulder were frilly, rounded pads, pink like the rest of the uniform, each sporting various air vents that pointed downwards or away from the body. Long, fingerless gloves covered her arms, and finally, frilly stockings travelled down her legs until they disappeared beneath her trademark boots.

"Wowza, Nui, that's the coolest looking wrestling costume I've ever seen!" Mako cheered, pumping her fists in the air.

"T-that's not a boxing costume! It's a damned disgrace!" Jun spluttered from where he stood, his various girlfriends glaring at him angrily as he practically drooled over Nui. "A really, really sexy disgrace. What the hell kinda uniform is that, anyway?"

Nui giggled, doing a little pirouette on the spot. "Do you like it, sweetie? It's a gift from my dad!"

"You're dad must've been some pervert to let you dress up in that! Not that I'm complaining!" Jun laughed, and Nui had to tilt his head up with the tip of her scissor blade when his gaze refused to leave her chest.

"Oh, sweetie, please don't insult my dad again. Otherwise, the only future wrestling events you'll be taking part in are the ones at the Paralympics", Nui warned, her sweet smile belying the severity of her threat. Despite all his bluster, Jun couldn't help but go a little pale at that.

Stepping forward to join his tag team partner, Haru blushed deeply, shaking with barely contained fury. Spittle flew out of his braced mouth as he screamed at Nui, "This is a disgrace! How dare you dress up like some sort of prostitute in front of Lady Ryuko! Detention doesn't even begin to cover the depths of your crimes!"

"Well if you want to punish me for it, here I am", Nui offered, outstretching her arms to make sure they got the message. Judging by the way they gritted their teeth, they did.

The bell rang out as the second round began. "Alright, so now we know how you stood up to my kick, but have you forgotten, new girl? This is a tag team match, and your ripoff Goku Uniform ain't going to stand against our combined might!" Jun boasted, lifting Haru up as he spoke, until the hall monitor captain was high above his head. As he did so, Haru drew his Life Fiber rulers. "It's clear an ordinary finishing move ain't gonna work on you, but how's about you try this one on for style? Honnouji Academy tag team finishing move; Ultimate Wrestling Detention Spiral Missile!"

**[ULTIMATE WRESTLING DETENTION SPIRAL MISSILE]**

Jun threw Haru at supersonic speeds, the hall monitor captain spinning in the air as he flew towards Nui, his deadly Life Fibers rulers leading the way. "This is the end for you, delinquent! Take that slutty uniform with you to the deepest gates of hell!" Haru screamed, swinging his sharpened rulers as he got into range, striking Nui across the head.

Silence reigned for what seemed like hours, the crowd waiting on bated breath, and both Haru and Jun smirking as they expected to see Nui finally fall. Instead, an ominous cracking sound echoed across the ring, which grew louder and louder, until finally, Haru's Life Fiber rulers shattered into pieces, clattering harmlessly to the ground. "T-there's no freaking way! Y-you… you shattered my rulers?" Haru gaped, falling to his knees.

"Oh dear, that's a pity. Guess your Goku Uniform's not so special anymore", Nui pointed out, and her smile curled into a full-on grin. "Because my outfit turns to steel too!"

Haru growled, drawing his staple gun once more and firing hundreds of rounds into Nui, but every single one bounced uselessly off fabric and skin alike, leaving her completely unharmed. Jun rushed forward to help his tag teammate, grabbing her by the throat and attempting a chokeslam on her, but despite all his strength, Nui couldn't be moved. She remained firmly planted to the ground, giggling at their vain efforts. "If you two cuties are trying to tickle me to death, it might just be working", she mocked.

"No way that's a simple Goku Uniform", Nonon muttered in realisation. She turned to Inumuta and began prodding him with her baton. "Dog, what the hell is going on?"

Inumuta's collar opened up, and he looked as dumbfounded as everyone else. "This could just be a glitch, but the sensors we placed around the ring are indicating Matoi's uniform is… made entirely of Life Fibers."

Stunned, Gamagori eventually managed to utter out, "I-Impossible! Then that means…"

"It's a Kamui. Isshin made his daughter a goddamn Kamui", Ryuko finished, and a wild smirk grew on her lips.

Below them, Mako cheered, dancing by the ring like a cheerleader. "Wow, you go Nui! I didn't know you could wrestle, but you're so totally awesome at it!"

"I… don't think that's actually wrestling", Sanageyama muttered next to her, too stunned to look away from the fight.

After weathering the two-star captains' attacks for a good minute, Nui sighed, shrugging her shoulders. "This is getting a little boring, boys, so I hope you don't mind if I have some fun now!"

Steam shot out of the air vents and frills above her stockings as Nui surged into action, yanking Jun's grip away from her neck, and then using his arm to catapult him face first into the cage. Haru panicked, backing off and trying to unleash another barrage of staples into her, but she was so much faster now, dancing around his arc of fire with ease before kicking him square in the gut. That sent him flying into the ropes, where he subsequently bounced right back, hurtling towards her again.

Nui simply extended her scissor blade, facing the flat side towards the incoming two-star. "Rebound clothesline!" she yelled as Haru was struck in the jaw by the outstretched blade, flipping over several times before crashing to the floor in a heap.

She saw Jun stumbling back onto his feet, and so ran behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "German suplex!" She then threw him over her, the wrestling captain crying out as he was slammed head first into the ground. Before Jun could even attempt to get back up she kicked him, sending him crashing into Haru, and pinning them both against the corner of the ring.

With a smirk Nui charged at the corner opposite to them, bouncing off the ropes and using that momentum to propel herself towards the two-stars at incredible speeds, both of whom yelped when they realised what was about to happen. "Missile dropkick!" she screamed, jumping and extending her legs at the last possible second.

She slammed into the two-stars with such force that a mighty shockwave exploded from the impact, tearing the Life Fiber cage to pieces and sending much of the crowd flying. Mako was one of them, only managing to stay ringside by grasping onto Sanageyama's coattails, who'd planted his bamboo sword into the concrete to keep himself grounded. When the dust finally settled the ring was a mess, though surprisingly still intact, with Haru and Jun wobbling painfully at the centre of it.

Nui took out her scissor blade, stylishly spinning it around a couple times, before launching herself at the dazed two-stars. "And now for the grand finale, a little finisher move of my own; Sen-I-Soshitsu!" And with that she sliced through both Goku Uniforms, tearing them apart and sending the two now naked captains flying into the academy walls.

**[SEN-I-SOSHITSU]**

"There's no way!" Sanageyama cried out, and high above him, his fellow Elite's were similarly stunned.

Nonon's jaw dropped. "Her scissor blade tore through those Goku Uniforms…"

"... Like they were just rags", Gamagori uttered.

"So her scissor blade is as powerful as we thought it was", Inumuta concluded, his attention finally drawn away from his laptop.

Ryuko stood in silence, watching several glowing strands fly out of the disintegrated Goku Uniforms, and when she saw Nui's Kamui absorb them, her smirk returned in full force. "No, there's so much more to it than that."

Picking up the microphone Jun had dropped, Nui gave it a good dusting, before leaping up onto the last remaining corner post of the ring. "Ta-dah! What do you think, Lady Kiryuin? Pretty impressive, huh?" she asked, giving Ryuko the most sarcastic, mocking bow she could offer.

Sanageyama jumped into the ring, pointing his bamboo sword at Nui. "Cocky bitch! Don't think that just because you won on a fluke that you ca-"

"Stand down, Sanageyama, now!" Ryuko ordered, her tone brokering no leeway. Sanageyama respectfully bowed. "Nui Matoi, consider me mildly interested. You're not as mundane as I first thought. Mind tellin' us where you got that… skimpy little outfit of yours from?"

"Ooh, are you jealous, Kiryuin? I bet you want one too, don't you?" Nui asked, pirouetting on the post in an effort to show her outfit off, before bursting into a fit of giggles. "Sorry for the bad news, sweetie, but this is one of a kind! A hand-me-down from my dad, just for me, and I'm not going to share it with anyone, least of all a Life Fiber puppet like yourself!"

"I ain't gonna complain about that, dressing up like I'm some corner chick for hire ain't really my style", Ryuko snickered, peering down at Nui with a smirk. When she didn't get a reaction out of Nui, she shrugged nonchalantly. "Not like I'd actually need your Kamui, mind you, 'cause I already happen to have one of my own." She then stepped forward, giving Nui a clearer view of her own uniform. "This is Kamui Junketsu, and unlike your exhibitionist get-up, it doesn't make me look like some hoe desperate for attention. More importantly, though, you'll find it's far stronger than your counterfeit Kamui."

"Wow, I was right then, you do have a Kamui of your own! That's so exciting, it'd be so boring if all you had to offer was those crummy Goku Uniforms", Nui said, before pointing the tip of her scissor blade at Ryuko, dainty lips curling into a smirk of her own. "Well then, let's find out if your Kamui's really better than mine."

And with that she launched herself off the corner post, leaving a trail of smoke behind her as she hurtled straight at Ryuko. The student council president simply glared at her, holding her ground. "Time to give me the answers I want, Ryuko Kiryuin!" she screamed, raising her blade in readiness to strike. When she got halfway there, however, a sudden dizzy spell struck her, and her Kamui began to vent a massive amount of steam. "W-what the hell's happening?"

"You've used up too much blood, Nui, and in about five minutes you're going to lose consciousness", her Kamui warned, and she glared at it, still flying towards Ryuko.

"Why didn't you warn me about that before I jumped? What the hell is the point in you having a voice if you won't tell me-" she paused mid-sentence, her eyes widening when she realised how little time she had left. "Oh shit…"

The Elite Four- sans Sanageyama, of course- moved to block Nui's attack, but Ryuko barged past them all, roaring as she charged at the incoming Nui. Low on blood and feeling incredibly dizzy, Nui's attempted slice was sluggish, allowing Ryuko to duck underneath and deliver a powerful jab to her stomach. Even without Life Fiber Override, that blow was powerful enough to send Nui plummeting back to the ground, destroying what was left of the wrestling ring as she slammed into it.

"'Member when I said I admired your fighting spirit, Matoi? Yeah, I take that back. You're not stubborn, you're just plain stupid. Didja really think that just 'cause you beat a couple of my two-stars you could actually go toe to toe with me?" Ryuko asked, cackling as Nui crawled her way out the rubble. "You really should've learnt your lesson from last time, you cocky ass bitch. Are you just naturally stupid, or was Isshin too shitty a father to raise you any other way?"

Nui pushed herself up on one knee, glaring up at Ryuko, but she was finding it increasingly difficult to see the student president through her blurred vision, let alone muster the strength to restart the fight. "Nui, you have to run now! If you pass out here, it's all over", her Kamui reminded her, and despite desperately wanting to tear the cackling Kiryuin bitch apart, she had to agree.

"I'm gonna make you regret insulting my dad, Ryuko Kiryuin! We'll pick this up later", Nui promised, before taking off, racing out of Honnouji Academy with all the strength she had left.

"After her!" Sanageyama ordered, but before the one-stars could even begin to chase her, Ryuko slammed Bakuzan into the floor, blinding everyone with a bright red glow.

"No! You heard her, Sanageyama, she'll be back eventually. For now, we leave her be", she ordered, strolling off a moment later. Her Elites followed at a flick of her hand, falling in line behind her, and as such failed to see the smirk returning to her lips.

' _Finally, looks like things around here are gonna get interesting. Thank you, Nui Matoi.'_

* * *

Nui couldn't recall actually passing out- everything after Honnouji Academy had been a literal blur- but considering how she was now waking up right next to a sewer entrance, conveniently tucked away in a part of the city she'd never been to before, there was no arguing she'd succumbed to her blood loss at some point. She groaned, still feeling a little woozy, but managed to push herself up into a seated position nonetheless. Thankfully, both her Kamui and scissor blade were still in her possession.

The smell of tobacco was thick in the air, and Nui turned to find Kinue leaning up against the wall, taking a long drag of her cigar. When she saw Nui was awake a mirthful smile grew across her face. "That was a pretty dumb thing you did back there, kid, could've gotten yourself killed."

Nui sighed, rubbing her arm dejectedly. "Yeah, I know." She glanced down at her Kamui, gently stroking it with a hand, enjoying the soft, soothing feel of the dress. "I just felt so powerful with this on, and after I beat up her two-stars, I thought I could take her on as well."

"A Kamui is a lot like a gun, Nui. You can pick it up and figure out how it works fairly quickly, and that'd probably be good enough to hold you over in most places. 'Cept, Honnouji Academy ain't most places, is it? Most've these guys have had their uniforms longer than you've even known about Life Fibers, and as for Ryuko Kiryuin and Junketsu? Well, she's been wearing that thing for years according to intelligence, though we didn't actually know it was a Kamui until today", Kinue explained, sauntering over to Nui. When she got there she bent her knees, before poking Nui's Kamui right where the eye was. It didn't react. "Long story short, that girl's probably been training with Junketsu for years, and you only got yours today. Thinking you could fight her was silly."

"I thought I could take her by surprise! You know, catch her off guard before she could use her Kamui?" Nui snapped.

Kinue looked unimpressed. "Kid, you're talking to a tactical espionage expert here. Jumping at someone and screaming 'tell me what I want to know' in their face ain't gonna take anyone by surprise, least of all a Kiryuin."

Sighing, Nui wrapped her arms around her legs, staring dejectedly down at the concrete. "I know, I screwed things up again. I was doing so well and I blew it. It's just seeing Ryuko, hearing her talk shit to me and insult my dad, it makes me so… angry."

"I know, kid, it upsets me too, but gettin' yourself killed ain't gonna solve anything", Kinue comforted, leaning forward to give Nui a hug, which was quickly reciprocated. She gently stroked one of Nui's pigtails, combing down a few frayed hairs as she continued, "Look, all you really need is a little time to get used to the Kamui. Train with it a little, learn how you can get the most out of it, and eventually, you'll be able to stand toe-to-toe with Ryuko Kiryuin. You're probably on par with the two-stars right now, if not slightly stronger, which means they're the perfect punching bags for you and your Kamui."

"Senketsu."

Kinue pulled back, looking down at Nui. "I'm sorry?"

"Ryuko's Kamui has a name, so I wanted to give mine one too. Nothing pretentious like 'purity' though, so I called it Senketsu. Fresh blood", Nui clarified, smiling down at her dress. "Seems only fair since he can talk. At least, I think it's a he; it certainly sounds like a guy, but I'm not sure if clothes can actually have genders."

"Wait, it… talks? For real?" Kinue asked, raising her eyebrow as she studied the dress herself. "You sure you weren't just hearing things while you were dizzy, kid?"

"Nope, he spoke to me before I'd even put him on, and in fluent Japanese too!" Nui said, before tapping Senketsu with a hand, as if she were trying to wake someone up. "Hey, you still awake, sweetie? I want you to say hi to Kinue." There was no reply from Senketsu, nor any indication that he was even alive, and Nui frowned, pinching the dress in multiple places. Still nothing. "I swear I'm not being crazy here, he was talking to me earlier! I don't know what's wrong with him now. Wake up, Senketsu!"

Kinue sighed, rubbing her forehead as she stood up again. "Look, kid, it's not that I don't believe you, it's just a little hard to imagine a talking uniform. I'd need to see it with my own eyes first."

"I guess", Nui muttered, watching Kinue walk back to her motorbike, before glaring down at Senketsu. "Thanks for embarrassing me, you jerk", she whispered bitterly. Senketsu still did nothing.

"I'd suggest bunking with the Mankanshokus while you're here; they're good people, and besides, it's not like your gonna find your own accommodation 'round here. Honno City is practically full already, and unless Isshin hid away a vast stash of inheritance money somewhere, you ain't gonna be able to afford Tokyo rates", Kinue said, mounting her bike.

Nui shot up, racing over to Kinue in spite of the residual dizziness she felt. "What about my training? You said I was ready to become a Nudist!"

"I said today was part of your induction for Nudist training, not that you were ready for it. Consider getting used to your new Kamui the second part of the induction. Once you've done that, I'm sure the boss will give you a chance", Kinue reassured, but despite her words, Nui still deflated at the news. Chuckling, Kinue gave a gentle pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it, kid, your Isshin Matoi's daughter. You'll be a Nudist at some point, it's inevitable. These things just need time."

"Yeah, I know", Nui muttered, casting a sad smile down at her feet. "I guess this is goodbye then."

Kinue gave a solemn nod. "'Fraid so, Nudist Beach's tactical espionage expert can't shirk her duties forever. You won't be alone though, one of our agents is a longtime resident here, he'll help you if you run into any problems." She then leant forward, rubbing the back of Nui's head. "I will miss you though, kid, we never seem to get enough time together. Hopefully, that'll change once this whole Life Fiber business is dealt with."

Nui's smile grew a little more positive. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Kinue put on her riding goggles, and seemed all but ready to leave, the motorbike roaring into life as she turned the ignition key, but then suddenly paused. "Oh, one more thing; please try not to kill anyone while you're here."

"What? But this is Ryuko Kiryuin's school; everyone here is loyal to her, and she's loyal to REVOCS!" Nui argued, a shocked look on her face.

"Nui, aside from REVOCS and Nudist Beach, there are very few people who are even aware that Life Fibers exist, let alone know what their true intentions are. You can't blame them for being here when they don't even know they're helping the bad guys. Besides, these are kids we're talking about, like you or Mako or Takarada. They don't have the same freedom of choice adults do; if their parents tell them to attend Honnouji Academy, they attend Honnouji Academy, regardless of whether they want to or not", Kinue explained, before dabbing her cigar out against her uniform and tossing it away, where it landed in the sewer water with an audible plop. That drew Nui's attention for a moment, as she mulled over what Kinue had told her. "Just stick to tearing their uniforms apart, kid, they're not that threatening without their Life Fibers anyway", the Nudist Beach agent added.

"And what about Ryuko Kiryuin? She surely knows the truth about Life Fibers and about my dad's murderer. Is she too young to kill?" Nui asked in a somewhat bitter tone, like a child who'd been denied their favourite sweet.

Kinue simply laughed. "Well, I figure killing Ryuko would prevent you from finding the answers you want, so that's a bad idea all round, ain't it? Just rough her up a little for now, and when you finally beat her, maybe you can bring her to Osaka. We've got plenty of questions we'd like to ask little miss Kiryuin ourselves."

"... Fine, fine. I'll do it the boring way", Nui relented. She made sure to give Kinue another quick hug before she left though, ensuring they wouldn't leave off the back of an argument. "Please don't be gone too long this time, I hadn't seen you in months before today."

Kinue reciprocated the hug, chuckling quietly into Nui's shoulder. "I'll try, but there's just so many REVOCS dorks for me to harass, so many dastardly plans to foil, it takes up so much of my time. Might be the best job in the world, but I'll miss our time together all the same." They both pulled back, and Kinue gave a sharp salute, which a giggling Nui quickly mirrored. "Catch you real soon, kid."

"You too, adult", Nui teased, sticking her tongue out.

She was sure Kinue had laughed at that, though she couldn't quite hear it through the roar of the engine as the Nudist blasted off down the road, leaving a trail of dust in her wake. Nui coughed, wafting the dust away as she moaned, "Geez, a little warning next time."

With goodbyes now out of the way, all that was left to do was to go back to Mako's and enjoy a well-deserved rest, and so she skipped off into the city, humming that delightful tune of hers. She only made it a couple of skips however before she stopped, and her smile dropped. "Oh, that's right, I don't know where I am… bummer."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspiration for Nui's Kamui design came from the art done by Terong. I'd rather not link it here just in case, just search it up on google images if you want to see it with the term "Nui kamui by Terong", and you should find it quickly.
> 
> Anyways, hope you all in enjoyed, catch you next time.


	4. Guns Of A Patriot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Discordence (FFN) and Jodasgreat (FFN) for betaing this chapter.

****Reclined in her throne, Ryuko reviewed the footage from yesterday’s fight with a frown. It was no surprise Nui had won; even if Haru and Jun hadn’t vastly underestimated their opponent, their two-star Goku Uniform’s were simply inferior to a Kamui, even one in Nui’s inexperienced hands. That, coupled with the scissor blade, had made it an uphill battle for her two-stars from the start. No, something else was bothering her.

“You seemed stressed, miss. Perhaps some tea to calm your thoughts?” her butler offered, an old man who stood right beside her, a cup of piping hot tea in his hands.

Ryuko accepted the tea with a smile and took a long sip of it, the blisteringly hot liquid burning at her tongue. That got a slight cringe out of her, but otherwise, the pain hardly bothered her; why should it, after all, when the Life Fibers within her would repair the damage instantly? Nevertheless, she sighed, closing her eyes and enjoying the familiar, comforting taste. “Thank you, Soroi, I’m feeling better already.”

“My pleasure, my lady”, Mitsuzo Soroi said with a bow.

**[MITSUZO SOROI]**

Ryuko took another sip before turning her attention back to the screen, and though she felt infinitely more relaxed now, a slight frown still found its way back onto her face. No, it wasn’t Nui’s victory that was bothering her-- Haru and Jun had been bait, after all-- it was the form her new Kamui had taken that was really concerning Ryuko.

“Her Kamui shows way too much skin”, Nonon shared her concerns, leaning against the back of Ryuko’s throne. “I mean you’ve overridden Junketsu plenty of times, and it’s always covered a modest amount of your skin, but Matoi’s leaves nothing to the imagination. Not that that’s a bad thing, Ryuko, you’ve got way too much class to be running around in something like Matoi’s stripper costume.”

Ryuko snorted, tilting her head a little so she could grin up at Nonon. “Thanks, Nonon, nice to hear the thought of me prancing around half-naked revolts you so much”, she teased, her grin growing when Nonon looked away with a blush.

“Geez, I was just tryna give you a compliment, no need to turn it against me! You know what I mean!”

“I do, and you’re right. That Kamui’s way too breezy for me, I’d probably die of embarrassment if I had to fight in that, but Nui seems to love the thing. I’m guessing she has no shame, typical Nudist”, Ryuko snorted. Her frown returned as she watched Nui’s outfit in action, however. “Still, it concerns me that her Kamui looks so different to mine.”

“Her father was a suspected Nudist, perhaps he simply designed her Kamui to be that way?” Gamagori offered, his hands folded behind his back as he watched the screen from a distance.

Ryuko shook her head. “No, that ain’t it. Kamui’s are different from Goku Uniforms; aside from being one hundred per cent Life Fibers, they’re sapient too, and you can’t just tailor them any way you see fit. Not when they can overpower the average person.” Ryuko leaned forward, bridging her fingers together. “When my mother first gave me Junketsu she said skin coverage was important, and that the more skin it covered, the more power I could get out of it. Up until now I believed her, ‘cause in spite of her many issues she was right, I have gotten stronger the more I let Junketsu cover me. But now, seeing the way Matoi’s Kamui looks, I’m starting to doubt her words”, she explained, before pinching the bridge of her nose and letting out a long, tired sigh. “I’m gonna have to figure this out either way, and there’s only two people who know more about Kamuis than us-- my mother and Satsuki-- which is fan-fucking-tastic, ‘cause it means I’m probably gonna have to go to REVOCS soon.”

“We’ll be there for you if you need us, Ryuko”, Nonon reassured her, placing a hand on Ryuko’s shoulder.

Ryuko was quick to wave the offer way though. “No, they’re my family, not yours. Only I need to suffer.” Her eyes were drawn down to Junketsu, who, as ever, was silently glaring up at her. She glared right back at it. _‘Yeah, the feeling’s mutual, asshole, ‘cause what happened to Satsuki was as much your fault as it was mine. You’re lucky I still need you, miserable bastard.’_ Judging by the way Junketsu growled, it had heard her thoughts and wasn’t too pleased with them, but Ryuko found little reason to care for its opinions.

“We might be able to avoid REVOCS intervention on this matter. To put it simply, I believe Matoi isn’t actually overriding her Kamui”, Inumuta proposed, and Ryuko immediately sat up in her chair, leaning forward and giving him a ‘go on’ gesture. “I’ve analysed the data from yesterday’s fight in greater detail. Much of it matches our preexisting data on Junketsu, but there are some interesting irregularities I’ve discovered. Matoi’s heart rate was far lower compared to what we’ve measured when you override Junketsu, and her movements-- while still as slow as one would expect from an inexperienced Kamui user-- don’t appear to be as forced, which would indicate that her Kamui is not actively fighting against her.”

“What are you saying, that Matoi’s already got a better hold of her Kamui than Lady Ryuko?” Gamagori asked, eyeing Inumuta sceptically.

Inumuta shook his head. “Not at all, Matoi’s power levels still fall well short of what Lady Ryuko can achieve. It’s possible, however, that her Kamui is simply more accepting of her as a wearer than Junketsu is with Lady Ryuko, though whether or not that’s the cause of the appearance differences is another matter entirely.”

Sighing, Ryuko reclined back into her chair, taking another long sip of her tea as she felt the onset of a headache. “Well Junketsu ain’t exactly a team player, so I can buy it. I assume that’s just a theory right now though?”

“It is. I’d be a poor Information Chair if I made a conclusion based on a single battle. The data we collected could simply be an outlier; I won’t know for certain until we’ve seen Matoi’s Kamui in more action”, Inumuta admitted.

At that, Ryuko rose to her feet, giving the half-empty cup back to Soroi, before turning to her Elite Four. “Well, if it stops me needing to pay my family a visit, then I’m game. Fits in with the plan we had anyways. The nerd needs more data and Nui needs more training, so we’re gonna send another two-star at her today, someone who can give her a real run for her money.”

“Forget the two-star, let me have a crack at her, Lady Ryuko”, Sanageyama butted in, finally making his presence known as he jumped from the seat he’d been reclined in, grinning cockily. “Matoi may be inexperienced, but she’s powerful, no doubt about it. And I’ve been itching for a proper fight for months now.”

“Are our sparring sessions not enough for you, Sanageyama? Do you feel I’m an unworthy opponent for your all-seeing eyes?” Ryuko asked, amusement clear in her voice.

“It’s Tengantsu, I told you that yesterday. You’re just tryna’ get under my skin now, aren’t you?” Sanageyama asked, and judging by the barely contained smirk Ryuko was pulling, he was right. He sighed, sticking his hands into his pockets as he brought the conversation back on topic, “Look, the sparring matches between us are great, even if I can never beat you. But they’re just that: sparring matches. It’s not the same as a real fight. And you know how I get when powerful people like this pop up on my radar, I live for this stuff. Let me have a shot at Matoi, I’ll knock her down a couple pegs.”

“You’ll get your chance eventually, but Nui has only had her Kamui for two days, it’s too soon to be putting her up against someone as strong as you. It wouldn’t be a satisfying fight”, Ryuko replied, sauntering up to Sanageyama. She placed a hand on his shoulder, much to his surprise, smiling sympathetically up at him. “I understand how you’re feeling though, that cocky bitch pisses me off to no end, and I wanna kick her ass too. But for now, we send a two-star her way, and we keep doing that until she’s up to speed. And when she is, you’ll be the first one to get a crack at her. After me, of course.”

Sanageyama sighed, scratching the back of his head as he sat back down. “Suppose that’s fair enough.”

“So who will you send instead, Lady Ryuko? I can have another one of my two-stars confront her if you wish”, Gamagori said, but his offer was met by a firm shake of the head.

“No, she’s dealt with a sports club and a disciplinary club already. Let’s spice things up, keep her on toes”, Ryuko said, before turning to Nonon. Judging by her smile, the non-athletic chair had been expecting the call-up. “Send one of your two-stars after Nui, someone stronger than Jun and Haru. Someone that she’ll have trouble dealing with.”

Nonon bowed, and a feral grin grew across her lips. “Of course, Lady Ryuko, and I know just who to send. One cocky bastard for the cocky bitch to fight.”

* * *

" _I saw what your daughter did to that girl, Mr Matoi. You’re lucky she’s just facing expulsion because if I had my way, she’d be taken away from you permanently!” Wait, what was her elementary school principal doing here? It had been years since Nui had last seen him._

_“Freak.” That was her own voice, but how? She hadn’t said anything._

_Suddenly her father materialised before her, and she smiled widely, forgetting her concern momentarily as she rushed to embrace him. She quickly stopped, however, when she realised he was looking straight through her. “Nui, why did you hurt that girl?”_

_“Because it felt good, daddy!” Oh no, not this. Not again._

_Nui slowly turned around, and found her seven-year-old self standing right behind her, beaming innocently up at her dad. “Rin Saito was bullying me, so I punished her, just like you and Kinny told me to do!”_

_Her father sighed. “You really hurt her, Nui, and this isn’t the first time, is it? I’m disappointed in you.”_

_“Monster”, the voice that sounded just like her giggled. “Stupid, dumb, evil monster.”_

_“No, I’m not like that anymore! I made a promise, daddy!” Nui-- that is to say the real Nui-- cried out, tears welling in her eyes as she tried to embrace her dad. He just turned to dust in her arms, disappearing along with her seven-year-old self._

_“Wake up Nui!”_

_Nui fell to her knees. “I’m sorry. I’ve never stopped being sorry.”_

_“We’re gonna be late!”_

_“I won’t let you down again, I swear.”_

_“WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!”_

* * *

Nui shot up from where she'd been sleeping, inadvertently headbutting Mako in the process, sending the girl flying into the wall. A cloud of dust and plaster filled the room as she panicked, blue eyes darting about as she searched for her father, only to promptly remember that it’d all been a dream, and she was still in Mako’s bed-- which had been graciously offered to her last night in the absence of any spare beds. Dejected, she flopped back onto the pillow, rubbing the now very sore spot on her forehead.

Thankfully Mako seemed fine, popping out of the human-shaped hole in the wall a couple moments later, though a massive bruise was now visibly thumping on her forehead. “Oh hey, you’re up. We need to get ready, otherwise, we’ll be late for school! Gamagori isn’t very lenient on tardiness, he’s always making these really long and boring speeches about how attendance is the key to success, so if we don’t hurry up we’re going to get in trouble with him! And an angry Gamagori is a scary Gamagori!” Mako warned, practically dragging Nui out of the bed before handing her Senketsu.

“Yeah, I’ll be ready in a second”, Nui replied rather despondently.

Mako tilted her head. “Are you okay, Nui? You look kinda sad.”

“Just a bad dream, no need to fuss over me, silly”, Nui said, the chipper tone in her voice just as forced as the fake smile that accompanied it. Fortunately, Mako didn’t seem to notice, mirroring Nui’s smile before she was off again, racing out of her bedroom to get herself ready. Nui grimaced as the sound of shattering glass quickly followed, glancing at the door for a moment, before turning her attention back to Senketsu.

She stroked the dress with an errant finger, frowning. _‘I don't get it. I know you made this thing to help me, Dad, but you said yourself that Life Fibers are the true enemy. I thought we were meant to kill them all, not work with one of them. Can I even trust this thing?’_

Judging by the lack of movement from his eye, Senketsu still hadn’t woke up yet. “Why are you being so silent? I couldn’t get you to stop talking when I first found you.” When Senketsu failed to respond to that, Nui growled, cruelly pinching the dress several times over, digging her nails into the fabric. “Haven’t had enough sleep yet, mister? Lazy Life Fiber rag. I need you today, so be a dear and wake up”, she ordered, slipping Senketsu on far more aggressively than she really needed to, stretching the dress harshly in multiple directions.

Yet again, however, it failed to garner a response out of him, and Nui finally gave up, sighing and rubbing the sore spot on her forehead. “Fine, be that way. I don’t need you to talk anyway, all I need from you is power. You just make sure you’re awake when I need you, otherwise, I’ll stick you in a washing machine and set it to a rapid spin cycle.”

With Senketsu suitably threatened, Nui brightened up, double checking in the mirror to make her pigtails were perfectly twirled-- which, of course, they were-- before making for the door, scissor blade and parasol in hand. She paused just before departing, however, taking the last few moments of peace and quiet she’d have to whisper “Don’t kill anyone. Don’t let Dad down again.” to herself, repeating the phrase several times over as if to fully imprint it into her memory, before finally allowing herself to leave.

The tram ride up to Honnouji Academy was refreshingly peaceful; even with Mako babbling away, Nui found it quite easy to relax, reclining in her seat as she hummed a delightful tune to herself, her parasol shading both of them from the morning sun. She did listen to Mako with one ear, however, picking up on the important bits she was saying. _‘So, no stars live in normal homes, one-stars in the villas, two-stars in those massive skyscrapers, and Kiryuin’s Elite Four get mansions all to themselves. Each star tier also gets progressively stronger Goku Uniforms. Typical, boring dictatorship’_ , Nui mused, though there were a couple questions that were still floating around her head.

“Mako, does your dad have a job?”

Mako nodded. “Of course, he’s a back alley doctor, remember?”

“No silly, I mean a proper job”, Nui giggled.

“Ooh, you mean one of those… nope!”

“And your mum?”

“Nope!” Mako answered, smiling even as Nui gave her a disbelieving look.

“Then how can you afford such a nice house, a car, a dog, and all that... lovely anime merchandise of yours? It doesn’t make any sense.”

“Simple, we don’t pay any rent or bills. Ryuko does it all for us!”

Nui was silent for a very long time, though she eventually managed to utter, “Ryuko Kiryuin pays all your rent and bills, no strings attached?”

“Yeah! And not just ours either, she covers everyone in the city! She’s pretty awesome!” Mako praised, before pausing for a moment, stroking her chin in thought. “Although, she did sentence me to death yesterday for helping you, and that’s not very awesome at all. And she can be a little scary at times. But I also wouldn’t be able to buy all my anime mangas, box sets, figmas, posters, clothes, and games without her, so I guess she’s still pretty awesome overall!”

Nui drowned out most of what followed from Mako, reclining back into her seat with a frown. _‘I don’t get it, why bother with this bleeding heart act if you’re serving the Life Fibers, Ryuko? How does this help you at all?’_

Her thoughts were interrupted by a strange whistling sound, which steadily grew louder and louder, and Nui’s eyes widened as she quickly realised what was heading their way. She wrapped an arm around Mako and drew her in close, bringing her parasol forward to cover them both, and just in time too, as a second later a missile slammed into the tram, ripping it off its tracks and sending the two of them flying off their seats. Nui deflected the incoming shrapnel with her parasol, and then, after securing her grip on Mako, kicked against the tram roof, pushing both of them harmlessly through the window, even as the tram violently spun around them.

“Wow, that was just like one of my animes! You’re way more awesome than Ryuko!” Mako praised as the two of them floated slowly to ground, watching the fiery wreck of the tram tumble back down the hill.

"Thank you, sweetie, I try”, Nui replied with a smile, her pink boots clacking as they found solid earth again. Said earth was shaking beneath them, Nui quickly realised, drawing her scissor blade as the echoing sound of heavy footsteps came from up ahead. Whoever or whatever it was, it didn’t take a genius to figure out they were big and probably spoiling for a fight, specifically one against her. “Speaking of your delightful animes, I think I’m about to fight another one of Ryuko’s weirdos here, so you better run along. You’ll be late to class otherwise.”

“Okay!” And with that Mako slid off down a nearby alleyway, waving to Nui as she went. Nui waved right back. “Good luck, see you in class!”

“Smart of your friend to flee, Matoi, she must know of my people’s reputation for war! Long story short, we don’t lose!” a heavily accented voice laughed, and Nui’s jaw dropped when she saw her opponent for the first time.

His Goku Uniform was essentially a mech; standing at almost double her height, and with metal plates covering it from head to toe-- save for the open cockpit-- Nui could only tell it was a Goku Uniform because of the two red stars that shone upon the pilot’s belt. Painted in a garish coat of red, white, and blue-- which seemed to be a shoddy attempt to emulate the American flag-- the uniform was armed to the teeth, with a minigun straddling one arm, and a massive chainsaw slowly revving up on the other one.

“That’s absurd! How is that even a uniform?” Nui questioned, backing up as the two-star slowly trudged forward.

Her two-star opponent laughed, his eyes obscured behind a pair of dark aviators. “D’ya like it, honey? This is what a real Goku Uniform looks like! No stupid gimmicks, no half measures, just good ol’ American firepower!” he boasted, exposing pearly white teeth as he smirked down at Nui. Suffice to say he looked as stereotypically American as they came, dressed up in a black leather jacket, with pale white skin and light blonde hair slicked back with copious amounts of gel. “Heard y’all were dissing Lady Ryuko yesterday, Matoi. I can’t stand people who don’t know how to show their superiors respect, so I’m here to teach y’all a lesson you won't soon forget!”

“Let me guess, you’re the captain of the overcompensation club?” Nui mockingly asked.

“Ain’t overcompensating, it’s just a fitting Goku Uniform for a citizen of the greatest country in the world!” the two-star shouted, before opening his arms out in a showy manner, his mech’s arms mirroring the movement. “I am captain of the American appreciation club, Elijah Jackson!  But y’all can just call me Jackson, beautiful.”

 **[ELIJAH JACKSON: AMERICAN APPRECIATION  CLUB CAPTAIN]**  

“Ooh, the American appreciation club, that sounds lovely. I suppose I’m speaking to its one and only member right now”, Nui teased.

“Hey, y'all listen here, girly! It might just be me now but soon everyone will see the glory of the United States of America, and then the entire academy will be lining up to join! It’s the least y’all could do after we brought liberty and freedom to your lands!” he argued, stepping forward and revving up his massive chainsaw. A malicious grin crossed his lips. “And y’all gonna help. Once Honnouji Academy sees the might of my Patriot Spec Two-Star Goku Uniform, ain’t anyone gonna doubt the power of freedom! So prepare to get that new outfit of yours torn to shreds!”

**[TWO-STAR GOKU UNIFORM]**

**[PATRIOT SPEC]**

Nui pouted, leaning forward with her hands behind her back. “Aw, but I happen to like my new outfit, it’s a super special gift from my Dad and it fits me perfectly! So as wonderful as your dream sounds, I’m afraid the only outfit that’s getting torn to shreds here is yours.” And with that Nui redrew her scissor blade, spinning it around her wrist a couple times, before pointing it straight at Jackson. “You remember this from yesterday, don’t you? Your big old overcompensation chainsaw might look cool, but my scissor blade can cut through anything, even that knock-off mech of yours. And that's not all, because I have Senketsu too!”

Jackson raised an eyebrow. “Senketchup?”

“No, dummy, Senketsu, my Kamui!” Nui corrected him, pointing down at her dress. As she did so, she gave Senketsu’s eye a firm prodding, digging her well-manicured nail into the fabric a little. “Alrighty, mister, you’ve had plenty of rest now, so now it’s time to wake up and do your job”, she whispered to him, before glancing back up at Jackson, grinning confidently. “Okay, time to strip you of that oversized Goku Uniform! Let’s go, Senketsu!”

Silence. Nothing happened for several seconds, and Jackson cocked his head, peering down at Nui as she stood in an awkward battle-ready pose. “Ain’t this the part where you’re supposed to get naked now? Ya know, like y’all were yesterday? ‘Cause I’m kinda itching for a fight and this stupid talking to your dress BS is starting to piss me off.”

Nui rolled her eyes, before glaring down at Senketsu, striking him several times with the palm of her hand. “What the hell is your problem, mister? First, you embarrass me in front of Kinue, and now in front of this American nutter too? You are my outfit, which means when I want you to do something, you do it! Come on, I’ve got plenty of fresh, yummy blood in me, so just wake up and dig in, you stupid Li-”

“Embarrassing!” Jackson screamed, kicking Nui with a metal leg before she had a chance to finish her rant. She was sent flying down the road, painfully bouncing off concrete over and over again until she came to a grinding stop several streets later, her head resting against the cold metal of a sewer grate. The ground beneath her began to shake again, and Nui went a little pale when she looked back and saw Jackson’s minigun starting to spin up. “Y’all expect to match the wrath of the USA with this BS? If you’re not gonna give me a real fight, then I’m gonna turn you into a pink smear on the road, you bitch!”

The metal grate beneath Nui opened suddenly, and she yelped as she was dragged down into the manhole by a mysterious man, just as Jackson’s minigun opened fire. Chunks of concrete and spent lead rained down into the sewer alongside her, kicked up by the two-star’s terrifying firepower, but thankfully this far down she was safe from being turned into swiss cheese.

“Damn coward, come up here and fight! I’m gonna tear y’all a new one, you bi-” Jackson's enraged screaming was cut off as the mysterious man slipped the metal grate back on, smirking down at her as he did so.

“Seems like you can’t catch a break”, he chuckled, sliding down the ladder until he was back on level terms with her.

He dwarfed her in terms of height; even with his bent back and unsteady gait, he was at least a head taller than her, though with those reflective glasses covering his eyes it was difficult to tell exactly how old he was. Definitely not a student, either way, more likely a hobo if his dirty, disheveled blue hair was anything to go by. “Having problems with Senketsu, kid?”

Nui jumped up, keeping her scissor blade firmly in his face as she eyed the man suspiciously. “How do you know his name? Who told you…” She paused suddenly, eyes widening in realisation. “Wait, did you just call me ‘kid’? Does that mean…”

“That’s right, I’m the Nudist Beach agent, Aikuro Mikisugi. Picked up that little pet name of yours off Kinue, hope you don’t mind me using it.”

**[AIKURO MIKISUGI]**

“I’m also your homeroom teacher, though you’d probably already know that if you’d turned up to class yesterday”, Aikuro said, pausing for a moment as the ground above him shook. Nui gave the metal grate a nervous look, tightening her grip on her scissor blade, but with each following shake growing weaker and weaker it quickly became clear that Jackson was leaving, no doubt bored of waiting for her to pop back up again. Aikuro chuckled at that, leaning back against the sewer wall. “Seems you’ve gone and gotten yourself into some more trouble now. Hope you’ve learnt something after that last beating.”

“It wouldn’t have been a beating if my stupid Kamui had worked, but the lazy Life Fiber rag won’t even wake up!” Nui insisted. She quickly paled, however, when she saw Aikuro take a needle out from under his shirt, grinning all the while. “Uh, no thanks, sweetie. I had enough of those horrible little things when Dad was constantly taking my blood, so if you really think I’m going to let some rando do it, Nudist or not, you’re way wrong!”

“Oh, come on now, it’s only one more time. If you want Senketsu to work, you’re gonna have to learn a couple things about your body first.”

“Geez, I don’t think you could have said that in a creepier way”, Nui muttered, but despite her protests, she was already feeling conflicted. She glanced back and forth between Senketsu and the tiny, sharp tip of the needle, glistening in the pale sewer light, before finally sighing, clamping her eyes shut as she held out an arm towards him. “Fine, just make it quick, please.”

Nui grimaced as she felt the uncomfortably familiar sting of the needle as it pierced her skin, only opening her eyes once she was sure Aikuro had finished taking her blood. “By now you probably know that your Kamui needs your blood to activate, but it’s not as simple as just putting it on. It needs a little taste first before it can wake up.” With that Aikuro squirted several drops of Nui’s blood onto Senketsu, and the dress began to glow.

“Finally! More, feed me more!” Senketsu begged, finally awake as it squirmed all around her.

“Well, well, look who’s finally up. Rise and shine, mister. Did you have a nice nap?” Nui asked, glaring down at the dress.

Senketsu was confused for a moment. “Are you… angry with me?”

“Me, angry? Oh no, I only get angry at people. You’re more like a tool, and I don’t get angry at tools when they refuse to work, I just get miffed off!”  Nui growled.

“Just a tool! I find that incredibly offensive!” Senketsu growled right back, but Nui merely snorted at his objections.

“As if a human needs to care about the opinion of their clothes.”

“Now, now, let’s settle down”, Aikuro interrupted, and Nui turned just in time to see him take his glasses off, sweeping his hair back as he did so. She raised an eyebrow, partially because he no longer looked like some old hobo, but mainly because his shirt was now slowly sliding off his body, revealing a surprisingly chiseled physique. “You understand now, Nui, that you need to give Senketsu your blood directly before it can wake up. Your father, Isshin Matoi, designed it that way so that only you could use it”, Aikuro explained, almost blinding Nui with the purple glow that was now emanating from his nipples.

Strangely enough, Nui just smiled at that. “Gosh, yours are even brighter than Kinue’s. No doubt you’re a Nudist now!”

“That is but one truth to me, Nui Matoi”, Aikuro revealed, sliding up next to her with his arms held above his head. Confirmed Nudist or not, Nui pushed the tip of her scissor blade against his chest, keeping him at bay even as she continued smiling.

For his part, Aikuro continued as though he didn’t have a deadly weapon pointed at his heart, his trousers starting to slip off as he spoke, “Only once you’ve proven to me that you’re ready will you get the rest of the answers. Beat the American appreciation club captain, Elijah Jackson, along with any other two-stars Ryuko Kiryuin throws your way, and master your Kamui. Do that, and there may just be a place for you at Nudist Beach too.”

“I’m Isshin Matoi’s daughter, silly, there’s a place for me at Nudist Beach whether you think so or not”, Nui reminded him with a proud smile.

“If that’s what you believe, then you still have a long way to go. That cocky attitude isn’t gonna cut it against Ryuko”, Aikuro warned. Nui was prepared to argue that point, but her attention was temporarily drawn by the distant sound of the school alarm, and when she looked back Aikuro had slipped seamlessly back into his teacher guise. “Well then, I don’t have the luxury of skipping morning classes as you do, so I’d best be off now. Good luck against the American appreciation club captain. Oh, and take this with you.” He pulled a purple glove, handing it Nui. “It’s called a Seki Tekko. It’ll make giving blood to your Kamui child’s play.”

**[SEKI TEKKO]**

Nui regarded the glove with a frown, running a finger over each metal plate. “It doesn’t really fit in with my ensemble.”

Aikuro was already halfway up the ladder by then, but her turned back to her with an amused grin. “Sounds like you’ve got an interesting choice then; do you want to look fashionable, or do you want a Kamui that works? I think you know what the Nudist answer to that is.”

Nui sighed before slipping the glove on, clenching her fist a couple times to confirm it was a perfect fit. She then turned back to Aikuro. “Wait, I still have more questions. What’s with this bleeding heart act Ryuko Kiryuin’s got going on? Why does she-” She stopped mid-sentence once she realised Aikuro had gone, disappeared out of the now open sewer grate, which bathed her in a thin ray of sunlight. “Fine, next time then.”

“Now what? That captain could be anywhere in the city by now”, Senketsu spoke up, regarding her with his one good eye.

Nui giggled. “Don’t you worry about that, reeling in a dummy like Jackson will be easy peasy! All we need is the right bait.”

* * *

“Ah! Welcome to Saizo’s Flag Emporium! We sell flags… and that’s about it!”

Nui skipped over to the man at the counter, smiling innocently up at it him. “Hi there! I’d like one American flag please!”

“Of course! Any preferences for size, shape or-”

Nui shook her head. “Nope! Any size is fine, just so long as I can cut it!”

“... Cut it?” the shopkeeper questioned. Nui just nodded, taking the flag from him with that sickenly sweet smile of hers. He sighed. “Whatever, you do you, kid. That’ll be ten thousand yen please.”

“Uh…” Nui patted down herself down, before whispering to Senketsu, “You don’t happen to have any cash on you, do you?”

“I don’t even know what cash is.”

“Bummer”, Nui muttered, before suddenly clicking her fingers, and pulling out a cheque book from her cleavage. After ripping out a page and scribbling on it, she handed it to the shopkeeper with a smile. “There you go, ten thousand yen. Pleasure doing business with you, Mister Flag Man.”

“It’s Saizo actu-”

“Bye!” Nui shouted, sliding out of the store with a wave, her brand new flag in hand.

“Of all the crazy kids in this town, that one takes the cake”, the shopkeeper muttered, before glancing down at the cheque. His eyebrows immediately rose. “Wait, what the hell are Takarada Bucks?”

* * *

“I have a visual on Matoi now. Judging by that flag in her hand, I’d say she’s about to bait our two-star into a street fight”, Inumuta said, bringing multiple camera feeds up onto the main screen.

Ryuko sighed, rubbing her forehead. “Great, just great. If she’s gonna do what I think she’s gonna do, we’re gonna have one pissed off two-star any second now.” She motioned for Gamagori and Nonon to come closer. “I want you two to shadow their fight. Stop them if they endanger civilians, but otherwise stay back and do not intervene.”

“My lady!” Both elites bowed in unison, before rushing off to fulfil her orders.

“Why didn’t you choose me?” Sanageyama asked, annoyance clear in his tone, but Ryuko just gave him the ‘are you serious’ look before turning back to Inumuta.

“Is this a good place for your data tracker… thingies?”

Inumuta’s collar popped open. “It is. There are multiple cameras nearby, I should have plenty of data to work with come the end of this fight.”

Ryuko nodded, before reclining back in her throne. “Well then, Nui Matoi, time to prove to me that yesterday wasn’t just a fluke.”

* * *

“Nui, I don’t see how buying that colourful piece of fabric will help us.” 

“That’s okay, sweetie, I wouldn’t expect clothing to understand human ideals.” That got an annoyed glare out of Senketsu, but Nui ignored him, skipping along until she found herself in the middle of an empty road, free of any potential obstacles. There she drew her scissor blade, hoisting the American flag up with her other hand. “As I said, all we need is a little bait, and what better way to bait the American appreciation club captain than by destroying his precious flag?”

And with that Nui sliced the flag in two, each piece to floating slowly to the ground. After that she went straight back to humming, folding her arms behind her back.

For the longest time there was just silence, but eventually, a low rumbling could be heard, steadily growing louder until Jackson's mech came soaring over a nearby building, the two-star screaming, “HOW DARE YOU!” As he came down he tried to slice Nui in two with his chainsaw, but she simply hopped to the left, spinning gracefully out of his weapon’s path. As a result, it got jammed deep in the road, giving Nui plenty of time to back off before Jackson was able to yank it out of the concrete.

Jackson took one long look at the desecrated flag before turning to Nui with an enraged growl. “Why the hell did y’all do that? That’s the goddamn American flag!”

“Because I knew it would reel you in, of course! Doesn’t matter what country you’re from, you silly billy flag-loving weirdos always get so mad when someone hurts your magic sky-cloth”, Nui giggled.

“Magic sky-cloth? Is that all you think it is?” the two-star snarled, glaring down at her from behind his aviators. “If y’all don’t know what freedom and liberty means, then I can’t expect you to understand why that flag means so much to me!” Jackson's mech took a step forward, both its weapons revving up as he let out a deranged laugh. “But that don’t matter. Understand it or not, y'all die for the flag all the same!”

Nui grinned, holding up her gloved hand. “Alrighty then, time to play with our new friend, Senketsu!” With a flick of her nail, the pin flew off, and Senketsu began to morph around her, fed by her blood via the needle in her glove. In seconds he was back to the skimpy form he’d taken yesterday, once more leaving nothing to the imagination, but, more importantly, granting Nui the power she desired. Steam shot of Senketsu’s air vents as she drew her scissor blade.

“Let’s see what your stripper outfit can do!” Jackson screamed, the ground shuddering as he charged Nui.

With a giggle she hopped effortlessly over his first chainsaw swipe, twirling stylishly in the air, before taking advantage of Jackson’s exposed cockpit to deliver a strong kick to his face, breaking the two-star’s nose and staggering him back. He roared, opening up on her with his minigun, saturating the street with thousands of bullets, but once again she was simply too fast, dancing out of the reach of his gun wherever he aimed it. Eventually, she managed to dodge her way to Jackson’s right, where she let several tacking needles fly, lodging them into his Goku Uniform’s minigun and-- at least temporarily-- silencing its firepower.

“Y’all think that’s gonna save you, y’little bitch? The greatest nation in the world demands your blood, and I don’t intend to disappoint!” Jackson screamed, letting loose a flurry of missiles from the top of his Goku Uniform, each glowing red with Life Fibers. They twirled about in the air before locking onto Nui, closing in on her no matter how many parked cars she flipped over or alleyways she ducked into. But rather than showing concern, Nui just smirked.

She changed her direction abruptly, charging straight at Jackson, his missiles trailing right behind her. That caught him off guard, and his attempted strike was sloppy and rushed, allowing Nui to effortlessly slide under his chainsaw and then his legs, winking up at him as she went by. “Oh shit”, Jackson muttered, glancing up just in time to see his own missiles slam into him, the resulting explosion sending him flying over Nui and into a nearby house, reducing it to rubble.

Nui chuckled awkwardly. “Oops! I hope no one lived there.”

Roaring, Jackson pulled himself out of the rubble and rushed towards her, his Goku Uniform charred and dented, but surprisingly still intact. “I’m not finished yet, Matoi!” he screamed, bringing his chainsaw down upon Nui, but his strike was deftly blocked by her scissor blade. Sparks flew everywhere as the two weapons ground against one another, but Nui held her ground easily, giggling all the while. “Damnit! What is this strength?”

“This is Senketsu, dummy! You’re oversized Goku Uniform is no match-” Suddenly steam shot of Senketsu, and Nui’s smile dropped as a wave of dizziness struck her. Her guard faltered, and she found herself now being pushed back by the two-star, her boots tearing into the concrete as she desperately tried to hold her ground.  “W-what’s happening?” she questioned, but before she could get an answer, her guard broke under the combined dizziness and sheer weight of Jackson’s mech. She pirouetted to the left, just barely avoiding being carved in two by the chainsaw, but in doing so exposed herself to a powerful uppercut from Jackson’s other arm, which sent her flailing into a nearby car.

“And just when I thought this was gonna be a real fight. Damn shame”, Jackson mocked.

“Nui, you’re losing blood fast! At this rate, you’ll pass out in three minutes!” Senketsu warned her, steam continuing to pour out of him as Nui found her feet again, propped up on her scissor blade.

“This again? I've barely had you on two minutes! You’ve got my blood, what more do you need?” she snapped, glaring down at Senketsu’s eye.

“I may have your blood, but you are still resisting me. In order to achieve true synchronisation, you must wear me and I must be worn by you.”

“Resisting you? Do you think I’m embarrassed? I’d wear you even if you were nothing but a bow in my hair, as long as I get the power I need to win! Why can’t you just do what you were made for?” Nui snarled.

“Calm down, Nui, you’re wasting time!” And Senketsu was right, as when Nui glanced up again she came face to face with Jackson’s minigun, which was, unfortunately, working again. There was no dodging this time, the barrage of lead struck her head on, and though the bullets failed to penetrate her Kamui, the force of each blow was strong enough to knock her back again and again, until finally, she smashed into a wall, leaving a Nui-shaped hole as she flopped back the ground. “That barrage just cost you another minute!” Senketsu chastised.

“Just... peachy”, Nui groaned, staggering back onto shaky legs.

Jackson’s Goku Uniform towered over her, the two-star chuckling as he raised his chainsaw high above him. “Well, it was fun while it lasted, but I’m afraid Uncle Sam needs you to die now. Don’t take it too harshly though; you were fighting a true, god-fearing American, y’all never stood a chance.”

Nui glared up at him, but her attention was quickly drawn to her Kamui’s vents, where steam was still pouring out. “Senketsu, can you control that steam?”

“I can influence it, but I can’t stop it completely. I don’t see how-”

“On my mark, release as much steam as you can. Create a smokescreen”, she ordered. “If we only have a few minutes left, we need to act fast.”

“Understood.”

There was a loud roar as Jackson swung his chainsaw down at her. “Time to strip you of that outfit, Matoi!”

“Now!” Nui shouted, and a thick cloud of steam shot out from Senketsu, completely obscuring her from sight. As such, Jackson’s swing utterly missed, tearing into the concrete rather than his intended target.

Jackson swiped at the steam but found it too thick to dispel, and so backed off instead. “You think this cowardice will save you? Taste American firepower!” he shouted, launching another barrage of missiles into the smoke. These ones weren’t heat-seeking though, and so blew up as soon as they hit the ground, consuming the steam cloud in a massive fireball. Jackson laughed maniacally. “Goodbye, Matoi!”

“Goodbye? But we haven’t even finished playing yet!” Jackson twisted around at the sound of Nui’s voice, and his eyes widened when he saw her jumping out of a manhole behind him, the metal grate in hand.

“H-how?” he questioned, but when he turned back to where Nui had been before and saw another open manhole through the steam, the answer became obvious. “Impossible! You used the steam to distract me, all so you could jump into the sewers and get behind me? You coward!”

Nui giggled. “Ooh, I’m sorry, sweetie, but I never said I played fair. I only play to win!”

“Nui, you have one minute left”, Senketsu reminded her.

“Plenty of time”, Nui said, before grinning at Jackson. “If you really want to end our playdate, how’s about a quick game of catch first!” And with that Nui twirled around in the air, dodging the first few rounds of Jackson's minigun, before hurling the metal grate straight at him. Her aim was true, and the metal grate struck the two-star across the jaw, staggering him back as a stream of blood and broken teeth flowed out of his mouth. With her opening forged, Nui whipped out a shimmering red thread, lassoing it around the mech’s left arm, before using her strength to pull herself in.

Jackson was too dazed to stop her, still focused more on his ruined teeth than anything, and so she landed on top of his minigun arm with ease, her scissor blade drawn and ready. She began to hack away at the arm, tearing the minigun to shreds, and slicing off layer after layer of metal armour until finally, the more fragile Life Fibers within were exposed. From there she was able to sheer the entire arm off with one solid slice, the useless hunk of metal clattering to the ground as she backflipped, landing elegantly in front of the now one-armed mech.

“Hold still, y’little bitch!” Jackson screamed, spitting blood as he swung wildly at Nui with his other arm, his chainsaw a blur as it closed in on her. She simply slid underneath the swing, however, laughing as the serrated chains missed her head by mere centimetres, before turning around and delivering a powerful cut to the exposed joint on the mech’s right arm, sheering it into two halves. “No! No! I’m an American, I can’t lose!” Jackson cried out, but it was far too late now, and Nui all but confirmed her victory as she hacked one of his legs to pieces, his Goku Uniform collapsing under its own weight.

She jumped up onto his cockpit, steam now constantly pouring out of Senketsu as the last few seconds of her minute approached, but even with her vision blurring, she still had enough in her to giggle. “Looks like Japan wins this round, American! Next time you want to play, you should probably bring those little nukes of yours along, might be a fair fight then.”

Jackson hastily raised his hands. “W-wait, wait, wait! I’m only half American!"

Nui froze mid-swing, raising an eyebrow. “What?”

“My dad’s American, but I’m half Japanese from my mother’s side”, Jackson explained, smiling sheepishly up at Nui. “You wouldn't hurt a fellow countryman, would you?”

With a sickeningly sweet smile Nui leaned in, tapping him on the nose with a well-manicured finger. “Oh, honey, I’m afraid I don’t see the world like you do. I’m loyal to family, not to any boring old country.” Jackson’s eyes widened as she brought her scissor blade up his chin. “So yeah, I’ll happily hurt as many fellow countrymen as I need to!”

“N-no! Please, I still need this uniform! Don’t take it from m-” Nui didn’t care to hear his pleas at this point-- especially not when she was so low on blood- and so she sliced his Goku Uniform in two, the mech exploding as Jackson flew off into the sky, screaming all the while.

**[SEN-I-SOSHITSU]**

“Easy as pie!” Nui laughed, spinning her scissor blade around in her hand as she watched the flying two-star disappear into the distance. Another sudden wave of dizziness struck her, however, and she gasped, falling to her knees. Senketsu vented steam all around her as she struggled to stay conscious. “S-Senketsu... stop sucking my blood... n-now!”

Senketsu complied, de-synchronising around her, morphing back into his dress form. “Nui, are you okay?”

“Why are you so greedy? I can’t even last five minutes with you on, stop being such a pig!” Nui said, gasping for breath.

“A pig? This wouldn’t be happening if you wore me properly!” Senketsu argued, but Nui just laughed tiredly at him.

“What does that even mean? I put you on, I give you blood, you give me power, that’s all there is to it. I’m not ashamed to wear you, so what is the issue?”

“Nui, true synchronisation only occurs when a Kamui and it’s wearer are one. Right now though, for whatever reason, you’re resisting me.”

“I’m not becoming one with something made of Life Fibers! My dad may have created you, but your kind are the enemy, that’s what he always told me!” Nui laughed, before fixing Senketsu with a harsh glare. “Find another way to synchronise.”

“The… enemy? How could you say such a thing, all I’ve done sin-”

“Senketsu, I’m too tired to argue”, Nui muttered as a third, intense wave of dizziness struck her, and she collapsed on the ground. “I think I need… a nice nap.”

* * *

Sanageyama raised an eyebrow. “She passed out again?”

Ryuko snorted, leaning back in her throne. “Clearly not as in synch with her Kamui as you first thought, Inumuta.”

“Indeed. Either way, we’ve collected plenty of data from the fight. This should give us a better picture of how Matoi’s Kamui works”, Inumuta said, before turning to Ryuko with a sheepish smile. “Although, finding out why her Kamui differs from Junketsu will take some time, and I may require several more battle’s worth of data before I can give you an accurate conclusion, my lady.”

Ryuko tapped her finger against her throne for a couple moments, then let out a long sigh. “Guess that trip to REVOCS is still on the cards then.”

“Lady Ryuko, Matoi is passed out in the middle of the road. Orders?” Gamagori asked over the radio.

“Take her back to the Mankanshokus, she’s no use to us if she dies. Oh, and tell Nonon to go find that American and kick his ass, he’s demoted back to no-star. I don’t appreciate him firing missiles and god damn bullets in a civilian area”, Ryuko ordered.

“Understood, my lady”, Gamagori confirmed, and Ryuko stood up as the radio feed cut out.

“Keep me posted on your work, I want to know what’s currently holding Nui back ASAP. In the meantime, however, I’ll line up some more two-stars for her to fight, so you won’t be lacking for data either way”, she told Inumuta, before turning to Sanageyama, motioning for him to follow. “Sparring session, now. Thinking about my family’s making me anxious and kicking your ass is gonna help me ignore it.”

Sanageyama just laughed. “Whatever you say, Lady Ryuko, but this time I’m practising for Matoi. I won’t be holding back.”

“Good, because I ain’t either.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing personal, of course, Americans, you're country's great but I just couldn't resist having a little fun with some of your stereotypes. All in good humour, of course.
> 
> Btw, while favs and follows are great and all, it's reviews that really keep my enthusiasm for this work going. I love to hear what you all think of my work, whether it be paragraphs of analysis, or just a one-sentence review about what you liked, so if you if you feel comfortable leaving a review please do so! I love to see them.


	5. Blood, Sweat, And Rage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Discordence (FFN) and Jodasgreat (FFN) for betaing this chapter.

 

"Hey Nuuuuuuuuuuuuui!"

Nui's eyes snapped open, and her vision was filled with the big, brown eyes of Mako, peering down at her from an uncomfortably close distance. Her breath tickled Nui's nose- heavy with the distinctive, deceptively delightful smell of Mystery Croquettes- and she frowned, gently pushing Mako as a tired yawn escaped her lips. "Please don't do that, sweetie, otherwise I might accidently headbutt your pretty little face into a wall for the second time today."

"Actually that was yesterday, you've been out cold for the whole day! Dad said you should really stop making a habit of that!" Mako laughed, and Nui was nearly bowled out of the bed as a humongous plate of Mystery Croquettes were shoved into her lap. "You must be starving, so Mum made a fresh batch of croquettes just for you! It's breakfast, lunch, and dinner rolled into one yummy meal!"

As ever, the croquettes pulsed ominously before her, but this time Nui found her resistance towards the meal rapidly crumbling. Her poor, empty stomach growled aggressively- no doubt pissed off at her over yesterday's exertions- and she finally caved, digging into the meal despite her previous reservations. "Thanks", she mumbled offhandedly to Mako, though it came across more like 'mmanks' as she shovelled croquette after croquette into her mouth. Disgusting ingredients or not, they still tasted absolutely delightful, and in her hungry state she simply couldn't get enough of them.

As she ate, she caught sight of the tight orange pyjamas she was wearing, cute bunnies dotted all over them, and a small smile crossed her lips. "Aw, these are adorable, thank you, sweetie", she said in between bites. Her smile dropped a little though when she glanced further down, finding her midriff completely exposed. "A little on the small side though."

Mako grinned. "They're so cute, aren't they! They're my old pjs. I put them on you while you were asleep!"

Nui paused mid-bite. "You took off my clothes while I was sleeping?"

"Yeah, but don't worry, I blindfolded myself so I couldn't see any of your naughty bits! It was a little difficult at first, but then Mataro and Dad came to help and we got it done in no time at all!"

"And they were wearing blindfolds too, right?"

"Nope!" Mako beamed innocently.

"Of course not", Nui sighed, making a mental note to pummel the two Mankanshoku men at some point. Not that perverts bothered her too much, mind you- she'd been raised by Nudists, after all- but naughty people needed to be punished, and she preferred to be awake when people were perving on her. "Did that cute little brother of yours bring me back again then?"

Mako shook her head. "Nope, it was Gamagori! I nearly jumped out of my socks when I opened the door and saw him towering over me, 'cause he only ever comes when he wants to shout at me for sleeping in class, or for falling behind on my grades, or doodling anime stuff in the textbooks, but this time he was just bringing you home!"

"Gamagori? You mean one of Ryuko's Elite Four goons?" Nui asked, frowning when Mako nodded in response. "Why would he help me?"

"Because Gamagori protects every student here! He acts like a big angry meanie on the outside, but I know he's a real softie at heart!" Mako said with a thumbs up.

' _Another bleeding heart act? This isn't going to fool me, you Life Fiber puppets, I know what REVOCS is really up to'_ , Nui thought, absentmindedly chewing on her food.

"Have a nice nap, Nui?" a grouchy Senketsu snarked, and Nui glanced past Mako to see him hanging up near a wardrobe, glaring right at her.

She giggled. "Ooh, I get it! Trying to spin my own words against me? Very funny, mister."

Mako's eyes darted to Senketsu, and then back to Nui. "Are you talking to your dress?"

"Of course I am, he talks just like any other person would!" Nui cupped her cheeks, fixing Senketsu with an expectant look. "Say hi to Mako, and not in that grouch tone of yours, mister."

Senketsu rolled his eye. "Hello, Mako."

Mako stared at the dress in confusion, as if she hadn't heard Senketsu at all, before turning back to Nui with an understanding smile. "Oh, I get it now, he's your imaginary friend! I used to have imaginary friends too before I met you. It's kinda weird, but when you only have one dress I guess you've gotta treat it like a friend, right?"

A sliver of annoyance boiled up inside Nui. "Mako, he's not my imaginary friend, he just spoke to-"

Mako suddenly grabbed Nui's hands, winking at her. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me! I'll leave you two to talk then, but don't be too long, 'cause Gamagori said if you skip class again he's gonna punish you!" And with that she slid out of the room, leaving a rather flustered Nui sat in her bed.

"Why couldn't she hear you?" she eventually asked.

"I don't know, there are many things about myself that I'm not yet aware of. Perhaps our connection means that only you can hear me", Senketsu theorised. A moment later his glare had returned. "Nui, we need to talk about yesterday."

"Oh, is that why you're being so moody this morning? Because I insulted you?" she questioned, an amused giggled quickly following. "If you want me to treat you with respect, don't do a shoddy job next time."

"A shoddy job? If you wore me correctly, you wouldn't have passed out yesterday!"

Nui snorted, folding her arms. "A girl can wear her dress however she likes."

"I'm more than just a dress, I'm your Kamui. You give me blood and I, in turn, give you power, but I can only give you so much power while you refuse to let me in", Senketsu reminded her. "And you know why we haven't truly synchronised yet, it's because you have ye-"

"Shut up! How many times do I have to tell you, I'm not becoming one with a Life Fiber rag!" Nui suddenly snapped, that sliver of annoyance from earlier boiling ever as she jumped out of her be, stomping over to Senketsu and cruelly poking at him. "Don't you get it? I don't trust you! I trust my dad, and since he made you, I'll use you, but that's as far as our little partnership will ever go. Your kind are the enemy, that's what Dad and Kinue taught me, and I could never trust you enough to become one with you."

Senketsu was silent for a very long time. "I only want to help, to be your friend", he eventually uttered, sounding incredibly hurt.

More importantly, however, he sounded human, and that stunned Nui for a moment, her annoyance consumed by a sudden wave of guilt. She couldn't bring herself to look at him as she said, "I have Kinue and Mako, I don't need you as a friend. Just do your job, and I'll keep giving you my blood."

"Nui, I have no intention of hurting you. You can trust-"

"Senketsu, please, just give it a rest. I'm not going to let you in and that's final", Nui interrupted, slipping the Kamui on as she spoke to him.

He sighed. "Very well, but if you don't truly wear me, then you'll struggle to defeat Ryuko Kiryuin and her own Kamui."

Nui's smile returned in full force. "Don't you worry about me, mister, I'll find another way. Dad believed in me, after all." She turned away from Senketsu, and a look of unease crossed her face. "I have to find another way. I can't let him down again."

* * *

Bare feet slapped against the laminated wood of the sparring room as Ryuko and Sanageyama circled one another, training swords raised as they readied themselves for what would be their final bout of the morning.

Sanageyama moved first, swinging down from up high, but Ryuko matched his strike, intercepting his training sword with her own. Growling, he pressed forwards, trying to swipe at her side, but a deft flick of her sword was all it took to deflect the blow, knocking it way off course. Then, taking advantage of his wayward sword, she stepped in and delivered a knee to his stomach, staggering him back.

Sanageyama came right back, swiping at her leg, and he would've got her then and there were it not for her perfectly timed jump. Instead, she rose high above him, higher than any normal human could reach, before landing right behind him. Both twisted around immediately, intent on striking each other, and their swords clacked together as they mirrored each other's moves perfectly. They held that position for several moments, until Ryuko shoved against his guard, her overwhelming strength forcing Sanageyama back and redrawing the distance between the two of them.

Sanageyama charged forward, launching strike after strike against Ryuko, his sword a blur to the naked eye. Against an ordinary opponent he would've landed every strike, but Ryuko was no ordinary opponent, and she easily matched him blow for blow, blocking every attack as they came. Sanageyama tried to alter his strategy, going for a fast thrust at her face, but she simply ducked, pivoted around until her back was to him, and let his momentum carry him into the top of her sword.

Sanageyama gasped, falling to his knees as pained soared through his stomach. Despite it all though, he couldn't help but chuckle. "Just like the first time we met. I can't beat you, Lady Ryuko, you're too fast for me."

"Don't beat yourself up over it, Sanageyama. Your eyes are brilliant, more than capable of handling most opponents, but you just ain't had enough practice to react to my movements quickly enough", Ryuko reassured him, grinning as she helped him up with a hand. "Our sparring matches always get my blood pumping though, so don't go thinking you're too easy for me. I doubt I could find a better opponent."

Sanageyama laughed. "Well that's a relief to hear, but I ain't gonna settle for that. You know me, Lady Ryuko, I'm gonna keep working at it until I can beat you, Life Fibers or not."

Ryuko's grin abruptly dropped, and she twisted away, growling, "Don't remind me of them."

A slight cringe crossed Sanageyama's lips. "Sorry, I just-"

"I know, just… just don't bring it up again", Ryuko ordered. She glared down at her hand, grinding her teeth as she flexed it, imagining all those Life Fibers moving within her. Acting like they belonged within her body.

"My lady, I've finished analysis on yesterday's fight between Matoi and the American Appreciation Club captain", Inumuta notified her, walking into the sparring room with his tablet in hand. He paused hallway, however, his eyes darting between her and Sanageyama. "This can wait if it's a bad time, my lady."

Ryuko sighed, waving him over. "No, it's fine. I wanna hear what you've got to say."

"Very well. As I feared, our current data is too insufficient for me to give a conclusive answer on the differences between Matoi's Kamui and Junketsu. Perhaps Lady Ragyo has been lying to you, as you suspected, or perhaps an overridden Kamui simply produces a different form to a synchronised one. I simply cannot give you an accurate answer without more time and data", Inumuta admitted, and Ryuko grimaced in response. That dreaded trip to REVOCS seemed to be more and more likely as time passed. "However, I do know why Matoi fainted yesterday. She seems to be resisting her Kamui, for whatever reason, fighting against it even though it's offering no resistance in return. They have yet to fully synchronise."

Clicking her tongue, Ryuko paced around the sparring room, deep in thought. "Sounds like she's taking her Kamui for granted. We need to give her a heavier push, something that'll force her to ignore whatever concerns she's having and tap into her Kamui's full potential." She suddenly paused, and a wide grin grew across her face as she swivelled round to face Sanageyama. "Prep your clubs, I think it's 'bout time Honnouji Academy had its annual sports day."

* * *

"Does this happen often?" Nui whispered to Mako, as the entire academy gathered under the student council tower. In fact, there were so many students crammed into the courtyard that she was pressed shoulder to shoulder with her neighbours, one being Mako, of course, and the other a short-haired, bespectacled girl she'd never seen before, whom she readily ignored.

"Nope, only when the student council has some really crazy event to announce! Like that time when we had a pie-throwing contest to reshuffle the one and two-year, but every pie had explosives in them! They were still really tasty though, and I only got blown up twice!" Mako cheerfully replied, salivating at the memory.

Beside Nui, the bespectacled girl snorted. "This is all just a stage for the great Ryuko Kiryuin to show off, nothing more."

Nui raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I'm sorry, but who exactly are you?"

The girl grinned, red eyes sparkling mischievously under her glasses. "Maiko Ogure, former Head of the Trap Department of the Disciplinary Committee."

**[MAIKO OGURE: FORMER HEAD OF THE TRAP DEPARTMENT OF THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE]**

"Ryuko demoted me to no-star as punishment for crimes I didn't commit, so now I secretly fight against her regime", Maiko explained. "Say, you're Nui Matoi, right? I know it's not much help, but I'm rooting for you to take that Kiryuin bitch down!"

Nui grinned right back. "Why thank you, sweetheart, I promise it won't be long before Ryuko gets her comeuppance."

A sudden heel clack and dazzling red light announced the arrival of Ryuko, the student president smirking down at her students from the top of her tower, her Elite Four flanking her on either side. Nui narrowed her eyes; just seeing the Kiryuin bitch again made her blood boil, and the desire to hurt someone- which had almost led her to kill Mataro and his dorky friends- welled up inside her, blurring her vision a little. ' _Deep breaths, just like Dad said. You'll get your chance to hurt her soon enough'_ , she reassured herself, suppressing those horrible thoughts with a smile.

Ryuko's loud, boisterous voice echoed across the academy as she spoke, "Students of Honnouji Academy, today is a very special day! All lessons are cancelled, all commitments are voided, for today is Honnouji Academy's Surprise Sports Day Event! Every sports clubs will participate!"

**[HONNOUJI ACADEMY'S SURPRISE SPORTS DAY EVENT]**

"This sports day is unlike any others, however, 'cause there will only be one winner, and they won't be winning gold medals, laurel crowns, or crap like that! They'll be given a brand new three-star Goku Uniform, and a place alongside my elites!" she announced, smirking as her speech sent the crowd into an excited frenzy.

"Yawn. As if she needs more goons", Nui groaned, grabbing Mako by the sleeve. "Come on, let's find something fun to do instead. I need to talk with that Nudist again anyway."

"And where do you think you're going, Nui Matoi?" Ryuko called out, and Nui instantly snapped around to face the student president, excitement bubbling within her at the prospect of another fight. "You can't leave yet, not when you're so important to this event!"

Despite her predicament, Nui giggled, cupping a cheek as she smiled up at Ryuko. "Ooh, Lady Ryuko, you're making me blush! All this attention you keep giving me is really flattering, but I'm honestly not a very sporty girl, so I'm not sure how I can help with your little sweatfest."

"Don't worry, Matoi, I don't need a drop of sweat from you, just your blood", Ryuko laughed, before turning back to the crowd and pointing her sheathed blade at Nui. "This sports day will take the form of a combined fight and race, and the objective is very simple! First one to strip Nui Matoi of her Kamui wins!"

"Oh bummer", Nui muttered, eyes darting about as she noticed multiple two-star captains pushing their way to the front of the crowd, each one wearing a malicious grin as they closed in around her. Unsurprisingly, Maiko had already scarpered, but Mako was still clinging to her side. "Mako, time for you to skedaddle. I can't look after you and beat up these dummies at the same time."

Mako vehemently shook her head. "No way, you passed out last time, I'm not leaving my bestie alone again!"

"You don't even have one of those stupid Goku Uniforms, how can you help me?" Nui questioned, getting a little peeved off at Mako as she saw the ranks of two-stars close in around them.

Ryuko smirked from her perch, smacking the sheathed Bakuzan against the ground. "Students of Honnouji Academy's sports clubs, sports day begins now! Fight!"

No-star and one-star students were sent flying as the two-stars launched their attacks against Nui. With no room left to argue, Nui sidestepped an incoming Life Fiber-enhanced javelin before drawing her scissor blade, pulling Mako in close as she did so. "Time to play, Senketsu!" She flicked the pin off her glove, and Senketsu morphed around her, just in time for her to block an incoming punch from one of the two-stars, unceremoniously knocking him aside with a firm kick. The crowd of students- or at least those who weren't currently trying to beat Nui up- quickly dispersed, scattering to safety as she grabbed Mako. "Senketsu, smokescreen!" she ordered, and her Kamui released a thick cloud of steam, just as a hundred two-stars fell upon her. They all missed, however, and when the steam cleared moments later, they saw her booking it out of the academy, a ramrod stiff Mako held under her arm.

Ryuko's cackles echoed across the academy. "Guess it really is a race now." She then turned a fierce glare down to her two-stars. "Well, don't just stand there, you morons, get after her! The entire city is your battlefield!"

"My lady!" a hundred voices cried in unison.

Nui glanced back, paling when she saw the horde of two-stars giving chase. That convinced her to run just that little bit faster. "Why are you running? You're awesome, Nui, I know you can take them!" Mako encouraged her.

"I'm glad you believe in me, sweetie, but I don't think I'm awesome enough to fight a hundred weirdos at once! We're going to find a nice little alleyway where I can fight them one on one, then it'll be easy as pi-" A tennis ball suddenly struck Nui over the head, sending both herself and Mako tumbling to the ground. That left her a bit dazed, but she still had enough sense to twist around and open up her parasol, keeping Mako close by as a second, heavier barrage of tennis balls bounced off her makeshift cover. "Mako, are you okay?" she asked, and a relieved sigh slipped past her lips when Mako nodded.

"It isn't her you should be worried about, Matoi", a blond girl warned, towering over Nui with a massive, spiked tennis racket hefted over her shoulder. The weird monocle covering her right eye switched to a different lens as she leaned forward, clutching numerous tennis balls in her free hand. "If that three-star Goku Uniform's going to anyone, it's gonna be the captain of the girls' tennis club, Omiko Hakodate!"

**[OMIKO HAKODATE: GIRLS' TENNIS CLUB CAPTAIN]**

"Now let's strip you of that whore's outfit! I'm putting a special spin on this serve, just for you!" Omiko launched several tennis balls at the pair, each one hurtling towards them at supersonic speeds thanks to her Life Fiber-augmented tennis racket. Nui refused to back down, however, rising to her feet and slicing the balls to shreds with her scissor blade, stopping the projectiles in their tracks. "I-impossible! So this is the power my boyfriend faced?"

"You're one of that wrestler dork's girlfriends? Oh honey, my dad's probably the only boy I've had more than three conversations with, and even I know that's a dead end", Nui said, the sympathy in her tone stunning Omiko. She took advantage of this momentary edge, charging at Omiko as she giggled, "Don't worry about that, though, I'll help you get over it. New uniform, new start!"

Just as she was about to carve the Goku Uniform in two, however, she was clobbered in the face by a massive boxing glove. "Tek!" A second punch promptly followed, launching her up into the air. "Ken!" Then came the third, final punch, which caught her in midair, catapulting her into the side of a building. "Fun!"

Nui groaned, pulling herself up onto her knees as she glared at the two-star who'd attacked her. The urge to really hurt him tickled at the back of her mind, but she suppressed it, remembering what both Kinue and her dad had warned her about. ' _Do not kill anyone. Don't be a monster.'_

"What are you playing at, Fukuroda? That three-star is mi-" Fukuroda punched Omiko mid-sentence, launching her back into Honnouji Academy, bowling over many of the lagging two-stars as she went.

"Sorry, gorgeous, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do", he muttered, before turning a smirk Nui's way. "Saw what you did to Jun and Haru in the boxing ring. Impressive for a girl, but I can promise you that Takaharu Fukuroda, captain of the boxing club, won't be beaten that easily!"

**[TAKAHARU FUKURODA: BOXING CLUB CAPTAIN]**

Nui deadpanned. "Really? Are all you dorks gonna introduce yourselves before attacking me, because if so this pink subtitle gimmick is gonna get old real fast."

"What are you babbling on about? Are you mocking me?" Fukuroda roared, throwing another punch her way, hundreds of Life Fiber fists flying out of his glove and slamming into her face. "Take a left hook, a right, and an uppercut, all at once!"

Once more Nui found herself airborne, tumbling down the hill until she came to a sliding stop alongside Mako. "Hey, Nui, how's it going?" Mako asked, smiling down at her.

"Oh, you know, just taking my daily ass-kicking", Nui grumbled, dusting herself off as she jumped back onto her feet. Fukuroda was already rushing towards her, winding up another punch, and so she turned to Senketsu. "Smokescreen time."

"Nui, this 'smokescreen' tactic drains a lot more of your blood than normal, and it's eating into your synchronisation time. At this rate, you will pass out in three minutes", Senketsu warned her, venting steam as if for emphasis.

"Well it not like we have a choice; Ryuko Kiryuin isn't playing fair, so why should we?"

"You do have a choice, you can let me in. We can beat these people by achieving fu-"

"Shush, I don't want to hear another word about this 'becoming one' nonsense while I'm fighting. Smokescreen time, now, mister", Nui ordered, and Senketsu complied, albeit with a sigh, steam jetting out of his air vents and obscuring them from view.

"You think that'll save you? I don't need to see you when I can throw a hundred punches at once! There's nowhere to hide!" Fukuroda laughed, launching hundreds of Life Fiber fists into the cloud, dispersing it within an instant. His laughter died in his throat, however, when he saw Nui floating safely above his attack, with an excited Mako piggybacking off her. "You coward! That doesn't follow boxing regulations!"

"Neither does this, dummy", Nui giggled, before snapping her parasol shut, dropping down right on top of him. Fukuroda had no chance to escape as she sliced downwards, screaming as he was sent flying through the window of a nearby building, his Goku Uniform torn to shreds.

**[SEN-I-SOSHITSU]**

Mako watched several strands of Life Fibers float into Senketsu before cheering. "I knew you could do it, Nui!"

Nui gave a slight smile, letting Mako hop off her back. "A bit too soon to celebrate, sweetie, there's still a buttload more to go", she snorted, casually opening up her parasol to deflect another incoming javelin, rolling her eyes as the two-star captain responsible cackled at them. "Would you excuse me for a moment, sweetie?"

Mako nodded enthusiastically. "Of course, you go get her, girl!"

Meanwhile, the two-star captain continued to laugh, hefting up another javelin in her hand. "Oh, come on, if you two just stand there this is gonna be too easy! Looks like that three-star Goku Uniform is going to the captain of the javelin team, Airi Naka-"

"No one cares, you're just a one-off character!" Nui giggled, dancing up to the two-star and carving her Goku Uniform into pieces before she could finish. Airi was sent flying off into the distance, complaining longly and loudly all the while about the 'short role' she'd be given.

**[SEN-I-SOSHITSU]**

"Blah, blah, blah!" Nui laughed, blowing a raspberry at the rapidly disappearing two-star. The other sports captains had now closed in around her though, and she turned to them with a shrug. "Really, all you bums do is blabber on about boring stuff. Can't you just-" Rather rudely, someone chose that exact moment to throw a shot put at her face, slamming her into the ground with a surprised yelp. The taste of iron was thick in her mouth, and she spat a glob of blood out, glaring up at the now laughing two-stars. "Okay, correction, all you bums do is blabber on about boring stuff and be incredibly rude! You're lucky I promised not to kill any of you bums!"

"Nui, you need to concentrate! You've only got two minutes left until you pass out", Senketsu warned, warm steam jetting out around her.

"Peachy", Nui muttered, wiping a smidge of blood from her lips as she sat up.

"Nui!" Mako screamed, tumbling over to Nui's side. "Are you okay?"

"Mako! Why are you still here?"

"I'm here to help you!" Mako said with an earnest smile, rising until she stood protectively in front of Nui. "If anime's taught me anything, it's that when besties stick together, nothing can defeat them! Nothing!"

Nui blanched. "Mako, this isn't a dumb anime! Go before you get hurt!"

"And leave you to get hurt again? No way!" Mako replied with a firm shake of the head, outstretching her arms as the two-stars closed in, their malicious laughter echoing across the street.

Omiko pushed through to the front of the pack, looking a little beaten up from her unexpected flight, but chuckling nonetheless. "If we have to go through some slacker nobody to get a three-star Goku Uniform, we will. Besides, Lady Ryuko will be fine with it so long as we don't actually kill the girl", she laughed, her snake-like tongue gliding over her sharp teeth as she spoke.

Nui forced herself up onto her feet, placing herself between Mako and the two-stars, despite her friend's protests. Steam continued to pour out of Senketsu at an alarming rate. "Nui, you cannot take them all on with the blood you have left. You must truly wear me now or we will lose here", he begged her.

"No! I can beat them!" Nui insisted, fingers tightening around her blade as the two-stars unleashed their assault. A myriad of different sports-themed projectiles were hurled her way; from tennis balls to shotputs, footballs to boomerangs, and many more besides, these Life Fiber-augmented weapons careened towards both herself and Mako, little more than a blur in their eyes. She sliced through as many as she could, her reactions enhanced by Senketsu, but inevitably it became all too much to handle, and multiple projectiles found their way through, smashing into her and launching her back. Only a timely- and deliberately light- push saved Mako from a similar fate, knocking her friend out of the way, which was the only thing she could be thankful for as she slammed into the side of a car. "O-okay, maybe we're gonna have a slight problem."

"Psst, Nui!" She heard a familiar voice to her right, and turned to see Maiko peering at her from under a sewer grate. The bespectacled girl motioned for Nui to come towards her, a panicked look on her face. "Quickly, before you pass out! Bring your friend too!"

"You're down to less than a minute, you should take her offer", Senketsu suggested, and Nui was forced to agree with him.

She jumped up and grabbed Mako's hand- her friend shivering at the sudden contact- before shouting, "Smokescreen!" Senketsu immediately jetted a thick screen of steam, covering them from sight as she dragged Mako along, deflecting blindly fired projectiles as they went, before diving into the manhole Maiko had been waiting in.

* * *

"What? You lost her?" Sanageyama shouted, glaring at the image of a flustered Omiko Hakodate.

"Apologies, sir, she scarpered while that smokescreen of hers was up."

Sanageyama growled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "More than a hundred of you and you still let her get away? Disgraceful! Find Matoi at once and tear that Kamui off her, or none of you will get that three-star Goku Uniform!"

"At once, sir!" Omiko said with a bow, her image disappearing from the screen not long afterwards.

Ryuko immediately burst into laughter, grinning down at Sanageyama from her throne. "There's no need to get so agitated, Sanageyama, this is all going according to plan. Nui might be feeling the heat now, but she's too arrogant to take an embarrassment like this lying down. She'll pop back up eventually, and when she does, our two-stars will get another crack at her."

"The monkey's probably just worried his clubs are gonna make him look bad in front of you", Nonon snorted, glancing at Sanageyama with a twisted smirk. "Not that he needs to, he's good enough at disappointing you all by himself."

Sanageyama stepped forward, glaring down at the smirking Nonon. "If you insult me in front of Lady Ryuko one more time…"

Nonon pushed herself into his face. "Then what, you North Kanto monkey?"

"KNOCK OFF THIS DISRESPECTFUL BICKERING AT ONCE! YOU'RE STANDING IN FRONT OF LADY RYUKO! PLUS WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF AN OPERATION!" Gamagori roared, splitting the two bickering elites apart with his massive hands.

Once more though, Ryuko laughed. "Ah, don't fret about it, Gamagori, I actually enjoy their squabbling. Makes me feel at home." She then turned to Nonon and Sanageyama, fixing the two of them with an expectant gaze. "He is right though, we are in the middle of business. Save your flirting for later."

"F-flirting? We are not flirting, Ryuko!" Nonon spluttered, her cheeks bright red. Sanageyama just snorted, as if amused by the mere thought of the two of them together, but both he and Nonon managed to respectfully bow nonetheless.

Satisfied that she'd rankled her elites up enough, Ryuko turned to Inumuta. "Has Nui shown any signs of releasing her Kamui's true power yet?"

The Information Chair shook his head. "Nothing yet, my lady, but it seems we are pushing her closer and closer to her limit. If we can keep the pressure up on her, it won't be too long until she breaks."

"Excellent. Give her a couple minutes to rest- we don't wanna push her too far, after all- then send the two-stars down in into the sewers after her. There's no hiding today."

After a firm "My lady" from her Elite Four, Ryuko stood, but as she made for the door Inumuta cleared his throat. "Forgive the intrusion, my lady, but I noticed something else the during the final moments before we lost visual on Matoi, or should I say… someone else."

"Oh? Do you know who it is?"

"Unfortunately only half her face was visible due to our camera positioning, but judging by our records, I'm ninety-five per cent sure it was Maiko Ogure who convinced Matoi to jump into that sewer", Inumuta revealed, bringing up a freeze frame of the girl in question.

"That's Maiko", Ryuko said without a moment's hesitation, drawing shocked reactions from all except Inumuta. Normally she'd wait for a clearer image to confirm it, but such precautions were unnecessary where Maiko Ogure was concerned; she remembered the face of her former head of the trap department all too well.

"Maiko Ogure, eh? Wasn't she banished a couple months ago or something?" Sanageyama asked.

"She was", Ryuko muttered, flopping back into her throne with an annoyed huff.

Nonon snorted, crossing her arms. "Why'd she return now? She got a death wish or something?"

"It doesn't matter why she's back, she's still a threat to Honnouji Academy and every student here, and that, along with her blatant disregard for Lady Ryuko's judgement, makes her life forfeit!" Gamagori insisted, before turning to Ryuko and bowing. "My lady, please order me to bring her in. I can gather several clubs and have it done within the hour."

"No", she simply replied, much to Gamagori's shock. When she saw his reaction, she grinned up at him. "Surprised? Don't worry, I told her I'd kill her if she ever returned, and if she stays, I'll carry through with that threat. I want her alive for now, however, just so we can see what she's up to."

"But-"

Ryuko raised her hand, stopping Gamagori's protests in its tracks. "I wanna see if she's working alone, or if she's doing someone else's work before we act. Honnouji Academy has many enemies, after all, and Maiko could've offered her services to any one of them. Nudist Beach perhaps, given that she seems to be up for working with Nui." Her grin softened at Gamagori's conflicted expression. "Besides, it's as you said, we're in the middle of an operation. Maiko's just some vagrant bum, she can wait so long as our immediate concern is Nui."

Gamagori sighed, but bowed nonetheless. "Very well, my lady."

"Turn your attentions back to Nui, Inumuta, I want to know where she is the second she pops back up. I ain't letting that girl have a moment's rest until she shows us her Kamui's true potential", Ryuko ordered, reclining back in her throne. As her information chair worked to find Nui again, she frowned, rubbing her chin as a slight bubble of concern rose within her. ' _You ain't nothing but a coward, Maiko, so why return now? What are you playing at?'_

* * *

"Ew, it smells like Mataro down here!" Mako moaned, scrunching up her nose.

Dusting herself down, Nui smiled sympathetically. "It's a yucky place, isn't it? I hope this little sewer diving spree doesn't become a regular thing." She then glanced down at Senketsu, the Kamui still venting steam. "Relax now, mister, we both need a little break before we go back up."

Desynchronising, Senketsu met her gaze with his good eye. "You're planning on going back up there?"

"Of course, silly, I'm not gonna let myself be upstaged by a bunch of Life Fiber lackeys", Nui incredulously replied, as if the thought of hiding away in the sewers disgusted her.

"Nui, this break will not solve our synchronisation problem. No matter how much rest you get, you'll still be limited to a few minutes of synchronisation before you pass out", Senketsu cautioned her.

"Which is why we're gonna do hit and runs, silly! So long as we're in tip-top shape when we're facing those dorks, they won't be able to stop us", Nui said, her giggles echoing throughout the sewer. She then turned her attention up to Maiko, who'd been regarding the conversation between herself and Senketsu with a bemused smile. "Oh, don't worry, I'm not crazy! My dress talks but only I can hear it!"

"Yep! He's her imaginary friend!" Mako joined in.

"Well, it still sounds like you're a little crazy", Maiko admitted, before shrugging her shoulders. "But I guess crazy is what we need against Ryuko Kiryuin, so I'm on board with it."

Nui abruptly took one of Maiko's hands, drawing it in close as she said, "You know, after that little disappearing act you pulled earlier, I'm surprised you came back to help us." She paused for a moment, as a thin smile crossed her lips. "And at the perfect moment too. How… convenient."

Maiko's eyes widened, the girl visibly shivering at the contact, and she snatched her hand away rather rudely, much to Nui's surprise. "N-no worries!" she hastily replied, before suddenly letting out an obnoxiously loud laugh. "Anyways, you should probably be resting, Matoi! Won't be long before that bitch sends her two-stars down after us, and you'll want to be ready to fight them, right?"

Nui skipped towards Maiko, spinning her scissor blade around as the gave the bespectacled girl an unnerving smile. "Say, why exactly are you helping me? You're putting a lot on the line for a silly little demotion, now aren't you, sweetheart?" She then leaned in close, her eyes narrowing as she whispering into Maiko's ear, "And how do you know about my Kamui causing me to pass out?"

"E-Everyone knows about you passing out! Ryuko told her captains about it- probably so they'd keep coming at you- and from there the gossip spread throughout the city!" Maiko spluttered shimmying herself away from Nui until her back hit the wall. Nui maintained the distance, however, and she found herself sweating under the heavy gaze. "A-as for why I'm willing to go so far… well, I'm not actually a no-star anymore. I was permanently expelled from Honnouji Academy by Ryuko after she accused me of purposefully hurting several students with my traps!"

"And did you?"

Maiko paused, raising her eyebrow at Nui. "Did I what?"

"Did you hurt those students on purpose?" Nui pressed, her gaze unreadable.

"Of course not, I set up those traps exactly how Ryuko instructed, with the intention of hurting those who defied Honnouji Academy! You know; terrorists or those Nudist freaks! Those students got hurt by accident, and I got blamed for it when it was that bitch who told me to put the traps there in the first place", Maiko ranted, her face growing bright red as she steadily got more and more enraged.

Just like that, Nui leaned back, that innocent smile of hers returning in full force. "Great! Just wanted to check you weren't some creepy double agent working for Ryuko, because then I'd have to kill you!" she laughed.

"I'd never work for that bitch again, I swear!" Maiko insisted, sighing a little as Nui backed off and gave the space she needed to breathe. After a couple moments, she laughed again, sliding up to Mako and wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Well now that we're all good friends, we should get back to bringing down Ryuko's regime. You should probably get ready to fight those two-stars again, Matoi, you do have a lot of them to carve through, after all. Don't worry though, I'll keep Mako safe down here so she doesn't get in your way."

Mako fidgeted against her grip. "No, I've got to help my bestie! I can't just stay down here while she's fighting!"

Maiko snorted. "You can't help her, you're just some slacker no-star."

"Can too!" Mako insisted, breaking free from Maiko's grip and bolting over to Nui's side. "You might not believe in me and maybe Nui doesn't believe in me either, but besties stick together through thick and thin, through blood, sweat and tears!"

"Sweetie, your support is flattering, but she's right. It's harder for me to beat up dorks when I've got to worry about you as well", Nui told her, that sliver of annoyance from earlier returning as Mako gave her a hurt look. What was wrong with this girl? Why couldn't she see that Nui was trying to protect her?

Nui decided to embrace Mako, if only to stop her friend from continuing to argue the point, leaving Maiko to sigh and awkwardly look away as she whispered, "Listen Mako, you're my friend. I never thought I'd get to say that to someone other than Kinue and Dad, but thanks to you, I can. But honestly, you can't help me up there, and as lovely as your support is, it doesn't make up for all the times I have to jump in and save your ass."

"But I want to help. You've been hurt enough already, and if I can stop my bestie from getting hurt anymore, I want to try!" Mako whispered back, the hurt in her voice leaving a guilty feeling in the pit of Nui's stomach.

"I know, but I don't want you getting hurt either, and I can't look after you if I've got a hundred Honnouji bums trying to kill me all at once. You don't need to worry about me though, sweetie, I'm Isshin Matoi's daughter, I won't get hurt. Not now that I have Senketsu", she reassured Mako, pulling back from the embrace so she could smile at her friend. "Hide down here for now, at least until I've finishing pummeling those two-star jerks. Once that done with though, I'd be more than glad to give you a few fighting tips. I'd love to have a fighting partner!"

That cheered Mako up, the girl sniffling a little as she pumped her fists in the air. "Yeah! We can be like totally awesome, kicking names and taking asses!"

"I look forward to it", Nui replied in earnest. She then turned to Maiko, leaning in close and raising an eyebrow. "I can trust you with her, right? Because if any happens to her you know I can just break your legs." She snapped her fingers for emphasis.

Maiko just grinned, holding her arms up. "I'm a no-star student, I'd be mad to get you upset. She'll be safe from Ryuko's goons with me, I promise."

Content with that answer, Nui nodded, before skipping over to the nearest manhole, scissor blade in hand. "How can you trust her over me?" Senketsu questioned, his tone aghast as he glared up at her.

"Don't tell me you're jealous", Nui giggled, but when his glare showed no signs of relenting she sighed, shrugging her shoulders. "Of course I don't trust her, but she's just some bum that got kicked out of Ryuko Kiryuin's super secret dork club. That means no Goku Uniforms and no weapons. I'm actually more worried about Mako hurting her than vice versa", she whispered, tittering a little at the amusing thought.

"That doesn't make feel any better", Senketsu muttered.

Nui giggled, mockingly strocking Senketsu's bow. "Oh, poor you! If it makes you feel any better, I trust you slightly more than her, even with those nasty Life Fibers of yours."

"Actually that makes me feel worse."

Nui laughed, giving Senketsu a cheeky wink, and then pirouetted around until she faced Mako and Maiko again. "Well, I'm off to do what I do best! Wish me luck."

"Go get 'em, tiger!" Mako cheered, and Nui gave her a sloppy salute and one last cheerful smile before jumping out of the sewer.

Once she was certain Nui had gone, Maiko let out a relieved sigh, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Finally, I never thought the bitch would leave."

"What do you mean by- oww!" Mako tilted her head to the left, and found Maiko by her side, injecting something into her neck. She jumped away immediately, rubbing the sore spot as she eyed Maiko wearily. "Hey, what was that for?"

A smirk grew on Maiko's lips. "Oh, that's just to help you sleep."

"Eh? Why would I need to sle-" Mako fell asleep mid-sentence, flopping to the ground with an audible thud, her loud snores echoed throughout the sewers.

They were soon drowned out by Maiko obnoxious cackling, however, as the bespectacled girl pulled out a pen and paper, furiously jotting something down onto it. "Oh, Nui Matoi, you're as naive as Lady Kiryuin said you'd be! Well then, shall we take this dance to your place?"

* * *

Bursting out of the sewers with a resounding clang, Nui flicked the pin off her glove, letting Senketsu synchronise around her as she flipped elegantly through the air. A two-star loitered nearby- the one who'd rudely interrupted her earlier, judging by the shot puts in his arms- twisting around just in time to see her flying towards him, and his eyes widened in horror. Nui took particular joy in carving his tacky uniform to shreds, and promptly followed it up with a rather needless, but extremely satisfying kick to the naked boy's crotch, knocking him aside as she pulled off a stylish landing.

**[SEN-I-SOSHITSU]**

"There she is! Tear that bitch apart!" Omiko cried out, and Nui glanced up to find herself surrounded on all sides by two-stars. There was no concern in her this time, however; five-minute limit or not, without the need to constantly baby Mako anymore she now had the freedom to move and attack as she pleased, and that realisation brought a grin to her lips. Finally, she could play for real.

The nearest two-star- a rather weird-looking boy with an enormous, knife-themed red mohawk- hurled multiple sharpened knives her way, drawing each blade out from within his Goku Uniform, but Nui weaved between each projectile, giggling as a wave of excitement surged through her, before smashing him over the top of the head with the blunt side of her scissor blade. Then, flipping the blade over, she sliced his Goku Uniform in two, batting the screaming two-star into several of his compatriots as she went.

**[SEN-I-SOSHITSU]**

Another two-star captain, this time a rather scantily clad woman with paddles covering her chest, cackled, charging at Nui. "I won't fall quite as easily as those last two dorks, Matoi! The captain of the ping pong club, Aizenbo Fuguhara, is gonna paddle your ass 'til it's raw!"

**[AIZENBO FUGUHARA: PING PONG CLUB CAPTAIN]**

Peculiarly, Aizenbo took a long chug out of a canister of oil, gathering so much of the toxic liquid up in her mouth that her cheeks puffed out. Her tactic soon became clear, however, as she spat fire out of her mouth, inflaming the table tennis balls in her hand, before launching them Nui's way. "Taste my fiery serve!"

Rather anticlimactically, however, the flaming balls simply bounced off Nui, unable to break through the protection Senketsu offered her. "Ooh, toastie!" she mocked, before leaping forward, batting away another hastily flung serve of table tennis balls with her parasol as she went. "Anyway, didn't I tell you silly billies to stop introducing yourselves? Naughty people who don't listen get punished!" And punish Aizenbo she did, tearing her Goku Uniform to pieces despite her desperate pleas.

**[SEN-I-SOSHITSU]**

Senketsu had barely finished absorbing the Life Fibers from the last Goku Uniform when another two-star captain jumped down in front of Nui, this one wearing a backwards cap and hefting a red baseball bat over his shoulder, his chest completely exposed. "I'm gonna knock you outta the park, new girl! I'm the captain of the baseball team, Sai-"

Nui just sighed, rolled her eyes, then lazily sliced the blabbering two-stars Goku Uniform in half. "Nope, nope, nope! Don't care!" she laughed, smacking the naked man so far into the air he landed in Tokyo Bay with a plop.

**[SEN-I-SOSHITSU]**

"And that's a home run to me. Honnouji Academy bums zero, Nui Matoi one… or was it more than that for a home run? Oh, if only baseball wasn't so boring, then I'd know for realsies!"

"Don't matter how much a home run is, after this serve it's gonna be a tied game again!" Nui gasped, twisting around just in time to see Omiko launching a barrage of tennis balls her way. The tennis captain's uniform seemed far stronger than her compatriots, and Nui could only manage to slice through a couple of tennis balls before the rest smacked into her, sending her cartwheeling through a crowd of unfortunate two-stars, then the front door of a house, closely followed by the back door, before coming to a sudden and painful stop up against a lampost.

"Nui? Nui, are you okay?" Senketsu desperately asked, venting steam in a vain effort to obscure her slumped body.

"I guess we really are in an anime, Mako, because I'm seeing stars right now", Nui dizzily mumbled, a little out of it as blood trickled down her nose. She managed to recover eventually, blue eyes refocusing as she rubbed her sore head, but it took a concerted effort for her to find her footing again. "Owie, that one actually hurt."

"You've lost a lot of blood! That blow cut your synchronisation time in half!" Senketsu warned, worryingly glancing up at her with his one good eye. "Nui, please, let me in. We can beat them, but only if we work together."

"N-no! I can't do it, I can't trust a damned Life Fiber rag!" she rasped, glaring down the street as the horde of two-stars closed in on her, a rather cocky looking Omiko leading them. She growled at that, the desire to really hurt these people rearing its ugly head once more, but despite all the pain and weariness, she managed to suppress it, smacking the horrid thoughts out of her head as she took a shaky step forward. "Senketsu, we only have one shot left, right?"

"You could faint at any moment."

Nui smiled faintly. "Then here's what I want you to do…"

As Nui whispered to Senketsu, the horde of two-stars came to a stop several metres away from her. "Watching you try to stay on your feet is embarrassing frankly, Matoi, so why don't you just do yourself a favour and give up that Kamui so we can fight the promotion out amongst ourselves instead? At least then it'll be an interesting fight", Omiko goaded, her fellow two-stars cackling as they took in the sorry sight that was Nui.

Much to their shock, however, Nui joined in with their laughter, though it was a tired chuckle at best. "Aw, but I still want to play. Won't you let me have at least one more game?"

Omiko grinned, licking her fangs as she prepared another handful of tennis balls. "Well, I can't say no to a good pummeling, and I doubt I'm the only one. Right guys?" A cacophony of malicious laughter promptly followed, the only answer Omiko really needed from her fellow two-stars as she turned back to Nui with a renewed smirk.

"Great! I was hoping you'd all be such good sports about it!" Nui said, before glancing down at Senketsu. After a slight nod, a thick burst of steam shot out of her Kamui, obscuring her from sight.

"Get ready, she's tryna' pull that hide and seek BS agai-" Omiko paused mid-sentence, her jaw dropping as she realised just how wrong she was. Nui wasn't hiding, she was hurtling straight towards them, and at a breakneck pace too. A thin jet of steam was shooting out of her Kamui's rear air vents, propelling her forward at such speeds she was all but a blur to Omiko, who dropped her tennis balls in shock. "Oh shit…"

Nui zipped past Omiko, extending her scissor blade and slicing the tennis captain's Goku Uniform to shreds as she went by, before smashing her way into the rest of the two-stars. From there she let her momentum do the hard work, carving her way through each and every uniform she passed by, until finally, she popped out the other side, a massive explosion of destroyed Goku Uniforms and severed Life Fibers quickly following in her wake.

**[A WHOLE LOTTA SEN-I-SOSHITSU]**

With a giggle she opened her parasol, covering herself as Honno City suffered a sudden and heavy downpour of naked students. "Oh dear, looks like you're gonna need a rain check on your sports day, Lady Ryuko."

"Is this really the time for quips? You're about to pass out!" Senketsu reminded her.

"Oh yeah", she mumbled, an abrupt wave of dizziness almost bringing her to her knees. Sighing, she scoured the street for the nearest manhole, rolling her eyes when she finally found one. "Guess we're back to yucky sewer diving again."

With steam pouring out of Senketsu and her vision blurring, she wasted no time, ripping off the grate and diving into the sewer. Her boots clacked loudly against the concrete, and she stumbled back, forced to prop herself up against the wall as Senketsu de-synchronised. "See… told you… we didn't need… to worry about that… silly 'becoming one' business", she laughed between each ragged breath, excitement tickling at her senses as she wiped a thin layer of sweat from her brow.

"You got lucky", Senketsu chastised her, and she growled, glaring down at him.

"Lucky? I outsmarted those losers fair and square!"

Senketsu glared right back at her. "And it wouldn't have worked had they been expecting it. If you'd missed even one of them you wouldn't have had the blood left to finish them off!" He then snorted, looking away from Nui. "I would tell you that this is yet more proof that the only way forward for us is through true synchronisation, but you're too stubborn to listen to me, aren't you?"

"And don't you forget it, mister! There's no way I'm letting you in, and that's final", Nui giggled, playfully flicking Senketsu's bow. By this point, she'd got her breath back, and so she stood up again, dusting herself down as she let slip a contented sigh. "Well, guess we better find Mako and that other girl, whatever her name is. I have a promise to keep." She started to skip further into the sewers, humming a delightful tune, but she only managed to make it a few metres before she stepped in something. With a grimace she brought up her foot, expecting her boot to be covered in some manky old waste, or- god forbid- literal shit, but instead, she found a slightly damp letter stuck to the sole of her boot, her name ominously scribbled on it. Taking great care not to touch the wet parts, she brought the letter up to her face, her eyes widening as she read it.

 _Dear_   ~~ _Moron_~~   _Nui Matoi_ _,_

_I kidnapped your friend. If you want her, come to where it all began, and we can have a little chat. Bring that 'talking dress' of yours too._

_Oh, and if you don't turn up, I'll throw Mako into the sea while she's still tied up. She's a little fatty, sure, but I doubt the sharks will mind all that much._

_Yours truly,_

_~~Your intellectual superior~~ Maiko Ogure_ _._

Nui scrunched the letter up, dirty water dripping through her fingers as she ground her teeth together, a fierce scowl crossing her face. Anger boiled up within her like never before as she growled, "That… BITCH! Former head of the trap department? I'm gonna make her a former member of the non-comatose club!"

"Nui, your blood is boiling! You need to calm down!" Senketsu insisted, but his words failed to get through to Nui, who shook in barely contained fury as she tore the letter to shreds. "I know Mako is your friend, but I strongly advise against going straight after her. You've used up a lot of blood already, you won't be able to-"

"Zip it! If I wanted the opinion of my dress, I would've asked for it!" she snapped, a fire burning in her eyes as she glared down at Senketsu. It was enough to convince him to stay silent, and with that Nui snarled, racing back towards the open manhole, her tired limbs fueled by a newfound sense of rage. "I won't let them take anyone away from me. Never again!"

* * *

"God fucking damn it!" Ryuko roared, slamming her fists into her throne. That snapped both armrests into splinters, but she didn't care, rising to her feet as she glared up at the screen. "I can't believe how stubborn that bitch is! I send a hundred two-stars her way, and she still doesn't fully synchronise?"

"Maybe you'll reconsider holding me back now", Sanageyama suggested, though he found his smugness quickly withering away as Ryuko turned a fierce glare his way.

Ryuko twisted back to face the screen, grinding her teeth. "No. She wants to do this the hard way, so I'm gonna give the hard way. I'll wring the power out of her Kamui with my own hands! I'll pummel her into the dirt again and again and again until she realises that being a stubborn, cocky-ass bitch just ain't gonna cut it in my academy!"

"You may have to wait for another day, my lady", Inumuta told her, bringing up a video feed of Nui bursting out of the sewers, before running up to a poor delivery driver and tossing them off their moped. "This just happened a moment ago. Matoi is now riding out of the city, and she seemed very angry about something."

"What's she got to be angry about? If anything the cocky brat should be rubbing her fluky little victory in our faces right about now", Nonon muttered, narrowing her eyes at the footage.

Ryuko narrowed her eyes as well. "Something's wrong. The Mankanshoku girl's not with her anymore." Ryuko turned to Inumuta. "You said you saw Maiko Ogure helping them earlier, do you know where she scurried off to?"

"No, and I didn't notice them climb out of the sewers during the fight either", Inumuta said, before pausing for a moment, awkwardly clearing his throat. "However, I did get a report from a member of the perimeter guard club a few minutes ago, in which he mentioned two no-stars leaving the city, one of whom appeared to be asleep. I didn't bring it up until now because I assumed they were just innocent students on some day trip to Tokyo, but now…"

"Shit", Ryuko grunted, before hurrying out of the student council room, motioning for her elites to follow. "Get your Goku Uniforms ready, we're tailing Matoi. I got a feeling Maiko's pulling some stupid shit right about now, and Nui's gonna lead us straight to her."

"Do you think Mankanshoku might be in trouble?" Gamagori questioned, and for once there was no snide remark from Nonon or the other elites. They all knew better than to muck around when a student was in distress, especially in Ryuko's presence.

"If my understanding of Maiko is correct, then she's gonna be willing to do anything to spite me, up to and including hurting innocent people. That ain't happening under my watch", Ryuko firmly stated. "Inumuta, call ahead and tell Iori I need another batch of that numbing agent stuff ASAP. It'll be a cold day in hell when I risk override without it again."

Inumuta bowed. "At once, my lady!"

"So you're going to use Junketsu then?" Sanageyama asked.

Ryuko snorted. "Of course. It'll be the quickest way to kill Maiko, after all." She glanced down at Junketsu as she walked, and it looked right back at her, it's mood considerably improved as it anticipated her blood. She grit her teeth. ' _I don't know what your game is Maiko, but you ain't hurting any more of my students. Never again. If I have to use Junketsu on you, I will.'_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, I recently got a new job and a lot of my time has been taken up with the training that has required. On the subject of my new job, it's obviously going to be eating into my free time, so updates may come at a slower rate going forward. I hope that's not too annoying for you guys, I'll keep trying my hardest to get these chapters out since I still enjoy working on the story, but I can't promise consistent updates.
> 
> As a light spoiler of sorts, the next chapter is titled "The Trap Master". Let's hope Nui's ready, because she's about to get a masterclass in true strepower...
> 
> Anyway, hope you all enjoyed, and please review if you can because I'd love to know what you guys think of the story so far! Until next time though, thanks for your patience. 


	6. The Trap Master

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to Discordence and Jodasgreat for betaing this chapter.

The stolen moped long since ditched, Nui rushed down the narrow pathway towards the Matoi mansion, winding through the thick forest that surrounded her family home. She'd never really had much desire to venture outside before her father's death, not when everything that'd mattered to her could usually be found at home, but when she did venture outdoors- often at the behest of Isshin, who'd been very insistent that she didn't follow in his footsteps when it came to being a reclusive shut-in- she'd usually find herself out here. The forest was peaceful, delightfully void of the bustling, overwhelming crowds, annoying kids, and dirty, ugly cars that had marred Nui's childhood experiences of nearby Tokyo, somewhere she could relax and enjoy a little 'Nui time'. Sometimes she'd dance or sing, liberated from the fear of Isshin or Kinue walking in on her, and the inevitable embarrassment that scenario would entail. Sometimes she'd pick flowers, the breed meticulously plucked to suit the person she was presenting them to; her father, for example, preferred yellow flowers- it reminded him of her hair, he'd told her way back when she was still very young, and she'd practically decimated the forest's daisy population the day afterwards in an effort to please him- whereas Kinue liked any type of flower so long as they had a pleasant smell to them, a stark contrast to the tactical espionage expert's tough exterior. And sometimes she'd sit up in the trees and watch the animals go about their lives, holding one-sided conversations with them as though they'd been her friends, though her numerous attempts to play with them- as friends surely would- had often proved fruitless.

All in all, it was one of her favourite places in the world, right after her family home, of course. It was just a shame that she was seeing it again under such troublesome circumstances. ' _Maybe Mako or even Kinue would like this place too. I'm sure I can fit in a lovely little picnic or play date in between all this Life Fiber puppet pummeling I've got going on.'_

One thing at a time though; she still had a fight to contend with, and she wasn't exactly in the best shape for it. Each clack of her boots against the rough, uneven pebbled path exacerbated her already strained legs, and drew out increasingly shallow and ragged breath as the burnt out structure of her family home finally came into view, black and heartbreakingly hollow as it peaked out over the trees. Her morning-long ordeal against the sports clubs had left feeling her terribly worn and dizzy- as had Senketsu's greedy guzzling of her blood- and now, as the sun reached its full zenith in the sky, it was sheer determination and simmering fury that was doing most of the work, pushing her onwards even as her vision blurred and her muscles screamed for her to stop.

The knowledge that it was just Maiko this time was nothing if not a welcome relief. Breaking that no-star reject's legs would be child's play, Nui knew, and she likely wouldn't even need Senketsu to do it. Still, there was an odd sensation eating away at her, a strange mix of fear and anxiety that sat in the pit of her stomach and refused to leave despite Nui's confidence in a swift and decisive pummeling. ' _Guess this whole silly thing's bringing back memories of that day'_ , she rationalised. That thought brought a cringe to her lips, however, and she swiftly pushed it out of her mind. No, things would be different this time, she'd make sure of it. No more awful fires, no more pain or suffering for the people she cared about, and nobody was going to die. Except maybe Maiko.

Oh yes, definitely Maiko. She'd been expelled from Honnouji Academy, after all, so technically Nui wouldn't be breaking her promise to Kinue if she turned the girl into a giant origami sculpture. "And I'll do it all while the bitch's still conscious", she giggled under her breath, a pleasant little tremble of excitement dancing up her spine. Yes, just this once, she was willing to indulge those horrid, often repressed desires to really hurt someone, just for Maiko. And she was going to enjoy doing it too.

Nui came to a skidding halt in the mansion's driveway, eyes widening as she finally found Mako, tied up and hung lengthways from the edge of a balcony like a hog over a campfire, and sound asleep. Thankfully she appeared unhurt, a large snot bubble rising and falling with each breath as she dreamt peacefully about… whatever it was eccentrics like Mako dreamed about. "Mako!" she cried out, but before she could help her friend down, an obnoxious, cackling laugh echoed from within the mansion.

"Shhh! Don't be disturbing your friend's lovely little dream now, Matoi", Maiko said, her voice so echoed that Nui couldn't pinpoint which part of the mansion the no-star was lurking in. Judging by the footsteps reverberating throughout the empty hallways, however, she was getting closer. "Not that you could wake her, mind you, the drug I gave her is the same stuff they give to people suffering from extreme insomnia. The slacker's gonna be out cold for the duration of our little meeting, I can assure you."

Strangely, that brightened Nui's mood considerably. "Oh goody, guess I won't have to worry about mentally scarring the poor girl when I start cutting you up into little party popper ribbons then!"

"Beating me won't be as easy as you think." Maiko belted out another obnoxious laugh as she finally strolled into view, coming to a halt just above Mako on the balcony. She still wore her no-star uniform, and had no visible weapons on hand, but despite the obvious disparity between the two of them Maiko grinned cockily, folding her arms across her chest. "Lady Kiryuin was right about you, Matoi. Naive, temperamental, sheltered; you're a girl who's outta touch with the world. I thought it would take weeks for me to trick you into letting your guard down, but you fell for my beaten down revolutionary facade on the first try! Such a simple trap to fall for too."

"Oh, sweetheart, please don't kid yourself, you didn't fool anyone. I just thought a poindexter like you would have the brains not to pull this dumb trick." Nui then sighed, leaning against her scissor blade as she smiled wryly up at Maiko. "That was so mean what you did earlier, telling all those naughty little porkies straight to my face! I just hate, hate, hate liars, especially liars who pretend to hate Ryuko themselves when they're actually working for her the entire time! I'm gonna have to punish you for that."

A fierce scowl crossed Maiko's face. "I didn't lie about that! I told you the truth the first time round, I'm never working for Ryuko Kiryuin again!" she spat with such vitriol that even Nui couldn't claim she was telling a lie.

"Eh? You've lost me now, sweetheart. You said you were working for Lady Kiryuin, so surely yo-" Nui paused mid-sentence, disgust and hatred welling up inside as the realisation finally struck her. "Oh, now I see. You're one of those REVOCS weirdos, aren't you?"

Laughing, Maiko leapt up onto the balcony guardrail, sunlight glistening off her glasses as she showily opened up her arms. "That's right! I'm not some no-star nobody anymore, I've got a proper title and business credentials now! You're looking at REVOCS' head of trapping affairs and public relations to Honnouji Academy, and personal assistant to the Grand Couturier herself, Maiko Ogure!"

**[MAIKO OGURE: REVOCS HEAD OF TRAPPING AFFAIRS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS TO HONNOUJI ACADEMY]**

Nui deadpanned. "Uh-huh… well, I hope you don't expect me to remember all that, because that title's even sillier than your last one. I mean, geez, just look at it, the subtitle's blocking most of the screen!"

"Hey, you're supposed to be intimidated by my title, not make of mockery of it! Be intimidated or else-"

"I really think you should simplify it, sweetheart. Something short and sweet like REVOCS head of overcompensation would get the message across just as well, and in only half the words", Nui suggested, nodding sagely at her own idea.

"I am not the head of overcompensation at REVOCS! We don't even have an overcompensation department!"

Tilting her head, Nui's pout was nothing if not mocking. "Oh, that's a shame, there's nowhere for you to work then. Although..." She went silent, stroking her chin for just long enough that it really started to piss Maiko off, before finally adding, "... do you think they have a department for forgettable one-off characters with crummy fashion sense and poor life choices, because if so I think you could make the head role in no time at all! I'll even put in a good word for you, something along the lines of 'she's so forgettable I still can't remember her name. Mika Ogre or something'. How does that sound, sweetheart?"

"WHY WOULD THEY EVEN HAVE A DEPARTMENT THAT SPECIFIC?" Maiko roared, her face turning bright red as she pulled at her hair. Nui would've giggled at that- the reaction she'd gotten was very amusing, after all- but what Maiko did next stunned her into silence. With a growl the bespectacled girl leapt off the balcony, abandoning her protective perch, and landed comfortably in the driveway, only a few metres away from Nui. There was a fierce glare behind her glasses. "You think you can mock me the way Ryuko and everyone else at that backwater academy used to, but you're dead wrong! Things are different now, I've got power beyond anything your wildest dreams, and I'm gonna use it to beat you into a bloody pulp and take that goddamn Kamui!"

Nui snorted, resting a hand against her pale cheek. "That's so adorable, you actually think you can hurt me. Have you forgotten, REVOCS head of something boring or whatever your title was again, that you're still just some dork in a no-star uniform? You don't even have one of those crummy Goku Uniforms! What could you possibly do?"

"You might've just jinxed us, Nui", Senketsu sighed.

A malicious grin tore its way across Maiko's lips, both her hands tightly grasping at the fabric of her no-star uniform. "Why don't we find out?" And with that she pulled, ripping her uniform in two and tossing it aside, the torn fabric floating away with the wind.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me", Nui spluttered.

Maiko had worn a second uniform underneath, this one a long, garishly purple trench coat and trouser combo, with gold accents running along the shoulders, arms, and legs, and the REVOCS logo sewn in across the chest. Maiko fixed the final piece of uniform- a militaristic hat- atop her head, purple like the rest of her outfit, and with golden lines zigzagging along it, forming a rather shoddy imitation of a crown.

What drew Nui's attention the most, however, was Maiko's collar, where three stars were sewn in, sparkling a brilliant blue rather than the standard red. "You… you actually have a three-star Goku Uniform?"

"It ain't a Goku Uniform, those rubbish prototypes are only for the Honnouji Academy pigs. This is a three-star REVOCS Outfit, made up of thirty per cent Life Fibers, and tailored specifically for me by the Grand Couturier herself!" Maiko laughed, opening up her arms as she showed off her new outfit.

"You were wearing a skirt before, how'd you even hide that ugly monstrosity?"

"You know, I just rolled up the sleeves and tucked my trouser legs in", Maiko replied matter-of-factly, shrugging her shoulders as if it'd been the most obvious answer ever. She began to saunter towards Nui, keeping her arms open as she smirked at her opponent to be. "So then, Matoi, shall we find out what I can do now? It's time the world bore witness to the true strength... no, the true power... no, the true strepower of the ultimate trap master, Maiko Ogure!" The three stars on her collar suddenly sparkled, and Maiko was consumed by a blinding blue light. "Three-star supreme REVOCS Outfit: Trap Queen Regalia!" she screamed in sheer, unabashed pleasure.

As the light inevitably died down, Nui got her first good look at Maiko's powered up uniform, and her jaw dropped. The trap head's hat had transformed into a full-on crown, gold with rich purple satin between each metal plate, and decorated with a myriad of sparkling rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. Below, her trench coat had opened up, turning into something of a cape as billowed behind her, exposing the utterly shameless yet surprisingly ornate golden BDSM-styled armour she wore underneath- which, just like Senketsu, left little to the imagination- as well as a whole host of trap-related weapons that were hidden beneath her coat. Finally, the ends of her trench coat had split off into eight separate coattails, each one acting like tentacles on an octopus; flexible, prehensile, and easily controlled by the trap master. Maiko used two of them to lift herself up off the ground, her feet dangling a little as she towered over Nui.

**[THREE-STAR SUPREME REVOCS OUTFIT]**

**[TRAP QUEEN REGALIA]**

"Oh yes, there it is! The strepower I've longed for!" Maiko cackled, shivering as her outfit's overwhelming energy surged through her. "Ooh, it feels absolutely amazing! So this is the true power of Life Fibers? Yes, I could get used to this." A moment later, an opulent golden sceptre dropped out from within the confines of her trench coat, and she twirled it around cockily, turning a smirk Nui's way. "Okay then, Matoi, let's dance!"

A shocked look overcame Nui as Maiko suddenly launched forward. "The hell are you thinki-" A painfully solid faceful of Maiko's gaudy sceptre rudely cut her off, and she was sent careening into the ground with a shuddering crash. That left a thick, iron-like taste in her mouth, blood dripping past the corners of her lips, but Nui had to ignore that for the time being, rolling away from Maiko's follow up attack and then back up onto her feet in one continuous move. "Okay, no more games then", she growled, raising her gloved hand as her anger boiled anew. "Time to see how many directions I can bend your spine in, puppet!"

"Nui, this is a trap! You've used up too much blood already, and what little blood you do have left is becoming dangerously hot! Please, Nui, sto-" Nui completely ignored Senketsu, flicking the pin off her glove and synchronising the Kamui, much to his dismay. Steam was already pouring out of him, and Nui felt a wave of dizziness crash over her, but she held firm, gritting her teeth as she raised her scissor blade.

"There it is, that saucy little Kamui of yours! So much better than that cowardly Quaker get-up Ryuko wears! Oh yes, what a wonderful gift this will make!" Maiko cackled, throwing herself into the fray once more. Her coattails wrapped their way around one of Nui's arms, and Maiko yanked her in close, delivering a sharp knee to her opponent's abdomen as she came within arms reach. "Graduated top of my class, you know?" she laughed as Nui lurched against her, gasping for air.

"At some special needs school probably", she managed to scoff, though she immediately came to regret those words when Maiko headbutted her, before wrapping several coattails around her neck and hoisting her up into the air.

"Try my training regime for the Grand Couturier. I'm not some Honnouji Academy reject punching above her weight; I was smarter, stronger, and far more willing to let the Life Fibers in than anyone else Lady Kiryuin had seen before! You've got no chance against me, Nui Matoi!" And with that Maiko tossed Nui high up into the air, a cackle tearing its way through the throat as she watched her opponent flail and scream helplessly above her. "If I wanted to, I could break you and every single dirty Nudist in two… with my bare hands!" she boasted, rushing forward to meet Nui as she fell plummeted to earth, her sceptre cocked back and ready. "Don't fuck with this trap master!"

The sceptre smacked into Nui's back, a shock wave surging out from the impact point as Nui was batted into one of the mansion walls like a baseball, before flopping pathetically to the ground. "Nui? Nui, are you okay!" Senketsu's alarmed voice cut through the awful banging in her head, and she groaned, sluggishly managing to stumble her way back onto her feet.

"H-how? I have a Kamui, you shouldn't be able to stand up to me in that cheap Goku Uniform knockoff! How?"

Maiko laughed, fixing her slightly ajar glasses against the bridge of her nose. "Why don't you stick around and find out?"

Nui made the first move this time, launching forward with an enraged roar, but her attempted strike was sluggish at best-marred by the considerable blood loss she'd already endured- and as such her scissor blade was easily intercepted by Maiko's sceptre, a deafening clang ringing out as the two weapons came together. The trap master laughed, easily holding a shocked Nui at bay. "What's wrong, Matoi, I thought you wanted to play?" That baited a second, more aggravated swing out of Nui, and Maiko took full advantage of it, ducking under the scissor blade as her tentacle-like coattails swept round from behind. They latched themselves around Nui's limbs, turning as hard as steel before she could break free, and that gave Maiko free reign to lay into her, which the trap master did with glee, striking her over and over again with the sceptre. She laughed all the while, only relenting in her assault when her arm started to get tired, at which point she lazily tossed Nui to the ground.

Despite the aggressive pummeling, a somewhat bloodied Nui quickly found her feet again, anger bubbling just beneath the surface as she grit her teeth. "Senketsu, steamstream!" she barked, and a thin jet of steam poured out of Senketsu, propelling her forward. She used her newfound momentum to slip around Maiko, circling the trap master several times over in order to sow confusion, before suddenly redirecting the stream and propelling herself straight at Maiko's exposed rear. "Time to die, puppet!"

"Not so fast!" Within an instant Maiko's coattails had stitched themselves back into a trench coat, turning as hard as steel as they did so. Nui's scissor blade clanged harmlessly off the makeshift armour, much to her horror, and by the time she could muster a follow-up strike Maiko had already spun around, blocking it with her sceptre once more. "Aw, you seem upset. Here, maybe a flower will cheer you up?" she asked, leaning forward as she spoke. A fake flower popped out from beneath her uniform, and she squeezed it, spraying a strange, clear liquid into Nui's face. Whatever it was, it stung like hell, and Nui staggered back with a yelp, rubbing at her eyes.

Whipping out her coattails, Maiko grabbed ahold of Nui's pigtails and tugged viciously at them, hoisting Nui up into the air. Still blinded, Nui growled furiously, attempting to slice herself free, but Maiko sidestepped the scissor blade with an amused snort, before lazily flinging her opponent into the burnt out mansion. Nui crashed through what remained of the door, staining Senketsu in ash as she slammed into the floor. Maiko followed soon afterwards, smashing her way through the doorway as she cackled, "I got ya! That wasn't even a trap and you still fell for it!"

Nui rose with a huff, slipping multiple tacking needles out from within her glove and flinging them at Maiko's face. The trap master didn't seem particularly bothered by that, however, yawning nonchalantly as her coattails flicked each and every needle out of the air. Not one had gotten anywhere near to Maiko, and that was a painful kick to Nui's pride. A second painful kick promptly followed, this one far more real as Maiko dug her coattails into the floorboards and used the leverage to fling herself forwards, allowing her flailing legs to slam into Nui's stomach, which subsequently catapulted Nui through a wall and into what was left of the kitchen. Wooden splinters clattered all around her as she curled up on the cold, tiled floor, a violent coughing fit raking her frame, one which would've no doubt ejected blood were Senketsu not already guzzling what little of it remained.

"Nui, this is seriously bad!" the Kamui in question spoke up, "You've spent all day fighting, you don't have the same blood reserves you normally do! If you don't run now passing out will be the least of your concerns!"

"I'm not… running away… from my… own home", Nui insisted, almost throwing up as she staggered back onto her feet. Strange, when had the world gotten so blurry? "I need to… kill what's her name… and save… M-Mako."

"Listen to yourself, you can barely speak! And just look at your skin!" Nui frowned at his words, glancing down at her hands, and her tired eyes widened when she realised just how much more pale she was than normal. "Please, Nui, if you're not going to let me in then just run! I won't let you die like this!"

A weak chuckle slipped past her lips. "And since when… would a Life Fiber rag… care about my life? You were made to suck… my blood… and that's all you'll ever care about."

"You're so wrong, Nui, I do care about you. Why can't you see that?"

Any further notion of a heart-to-heart was royally spoiled by Maiko, the trap master ever-smirking as she squeezed her way into the kitchen, smashing chunks of wall and burnt out furniture aside to make room for her massive uniform. "Talking to your dress again, Matoi? No wonder this fight's started off so disappointingly, you're so delusional you can barely even think straight!" she mocked, ripping tiles out of the floor with her coattails and flinging them at Nui.

"Stop tearing up my dad's house!" Nui shrieked, sheltering herself from the makeshift missiles behind her parasol. Fatigued, beaten, and incredibly dizzy, an intense fire blazed in her eyes nonetheless; oh yes, she was really, really going to hurt this girl.

Unsurprisingly, Maiko's tittering was just as obnoxious as the girl herself. "Oh, you mean like this?" She then slid over to the sink, and smashed it to pieces with her golden sceptre. "Or maybe you meant something like this?" Her coattails wrapped around the already charred support beams, and with a tug, she brought down what was left of the kitchen wall, kicking up a cloud of ash, dust, and plaster. "Give me some hints here, Matoi, 'cause I'm really at a loss right now", she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she lazily smashed a burnt out cupboard to pieces with her sceptre.

"That! Stop doing that! I won't let you people take anything else away from me!" Nui roared, charging at Maiko once more, steam pouring out of Senketsu. Maiko easily sidestepped the lethargic attack though, and with a simple extension of one of her legs, tripped Nui up, sending her opponent tumbling into the washing machine. The door immediately slammed shut behind her, leaving a now quite cramped Nui to raise her eyebrow. "Oh, I thought this thing got burnt to a crisp?"

"Jokes on you, I installed a new one just to trap you! I call it 'spin cycle torment'!" Maiko revealed, and with a mere press of the button Nui's world became even more of a blur than before. Each spin cycle got faster and faster, and Nui could do nothing but scream, her dizziness being horribly exacerbated by the miserable experience, bile rising up within her already tormented stomach. It didn't help that Maiko had somehow managed to reconnect the water supply as well, meaning that every couple of spins Nui was treated to face full of dirty, rank water. "I hope you don't mind that I skipped on the detergent! The supermarket didn't have anything for shallow Barbie dolls!" Maiko cackled, her voice muffled through the plastic window.

"If this is what all washing machines are like then you better be planning to hand wash me!" Senketsu groaned, somehow feeling sick himself despite the lack of a stomach.

Eventually, Nui managed to jam her scissor blade into the washing machine, her stomach doing somersaults as she lurched to a sudden stop. A ragged sigh escaped her lips. "Okay… I think that's the worst of it over no-" And then the washing machine decided to explode. Buffeted by a maelstrom of flames and shrapnel, she was launched out of the machine with a yelp, and straight into the path of Maiko. With a cackle of delight, the trap master smacked Nui across the face with her sceptre, breaking her nose and cartwheeling her through another couple walls, with only the solid brick fireplace of the dining room able to bring her flight to an untimely and rather painful stop. That finally drew a little blood, a small stream trickling out her broken nose as she choked on the ash her impact had kicked up, struggling to regain her breath. "Me and my… big, stupid… dumb mouth."

Something clattered over Nui's head, and for a split second, she thought Maiko was already attacking her again, instinctively opened up her parasol. Her guard dropped a little, however, when she saw the cracked picture frame lying next to her. The same one that she'd been drawn to before acquiring Senketsu. Shaky fingers reached out, stroking at the burnt out half where her father's visage had once been. "I'm sorry, Dad. Stupid, weak, pathetic Nui is letting you down again", she whispered, tears stinging at the corners of her eyes.

"Oh, boo hoo! Woe is me, I lost my ugly terrorist dad, and now I'm going to lose my precious uniform too because I can't stand up to the strepower of the great and powerful Maiko Ogure!" Maiko mocked, cockily spinning her gaudy sceptre about as she strutted into the room. "Don't worry though, I've got orders to let you see your daddy again once I've stripped you of your Kamui! So if you feel like giving up, just stay down over there and let Maiko handle the rest. I promise your death will be swift and painless… in a cosmic sorta way."

Forcing herself up onto shaky legs, Nui let slip a tired chuckle. "You know, I kinda really hate girls like you. I mean, gosh, that ugly hairdo and horrid fashion combo you got going on is bad, like 'enough to make a blind person puke' bad. But you… you just don't stop yammering on, do you?" She staggered forward a little, pointing her scissor blade at the ever-smirking Maiko. "I hate, hate, hate girls like that! Especially ones who spout a load of boring, cocky rubbish with nothing to back it up!"

Maiko just chuckled. "Oh but Matoi, I do have something to back myself up. Do you really think that I, as REVOCS' glorious trap master, wouldn't have this whole ruse cruise planned out ahead of time?" And with that Maiko pulled out a trigger, the tiny device letting out a whirring sounds when she flicked the safety off. That confused Nui at first, but when she glanced down at the floor and saw several packs of C4 surrounding her, each one emitting an ominous green light, her eyes widened in horror. "Got ya again, dumbass!"

Panic shot through Nui, blue eyes darting back towards that cracked picture frame that lay just a few scant metres away from her. She'd left it at the mansion as something of a shrine to her father, in lieu of a body to bury, but in that very moment, she regretted not keeping it on her more than anything. Everything else had been destroyed in the fire, after all; what else would she have to remember him, by, if not that? "NO!" She lunged at it, but by then it was already too late, as Maiko detonated the C4 beneath her.

The explosion tore the floorboards beneath her apart, and she was tossed into the air like a ragdoll, utterly helpless to stop the flames from consuming the last physical remnant of her father. Gravity quickly took over again, and she crashed through what remained of the floor, then through the cold, hard stone of the cellar below, before finally smashing through the ceiling of her father's laboratory. There was no chance to open up her parasol this time, no way to avoid a hard landing- even with the massive piles of clothes to soften her fall- and she smacked into the ground at high speeds, leaving a crater so enormous her father's laboratory nearly caved in on itself.

"I'm sorry, Nui, but you'll die if we stay synchronised like this. I can't let you hurt yourself anymore", Senketsu said, de-synchronising at his own accord. Nui didn't even react to that act of insubordination, staring lifelessly up at the new hole in the ceiling. "You need to run now, Nui! It's me she wants most, not you, so take me off and just run for it! Please!"

Nui didn't so much as budge, however. No matter how enraged she felt, no matter how badly she wanted to repaint the walls with Maiko's blood, she was simply too tired and in too much pain to keep on fighting. "I can't do it. She's not even a Kiryuin- just some dumb, lowly puppet- and I can't beat her. I… I failed. Everything about my dad, it's all gone now. I… I let him down… again."

"No, Nui, your father survives through you, but if you don't do something now it really will be over! Please, get up! I won't let you die like this!" Senketsu begged her.

"I don't… get it, why are you still… pretending to care? You'll get your blood… regardless… of who wears you."

"You've always been more to me than just a source of blood, Nui. I know you find it hard to trust me, but from the moment we first met, I've cared for you as a friend, and as someone that I want to protect. I can't explain how or why, there are gaps in memory, but every time I've considered these feelings my mind returns to the one clear memory I have; that of the man who made me, your father."

"D-dad?" Nui gasped. "But why would he do that? Unless..."

Once again their little heart-to-heart was ruined by Maiko's obnoxious cackling, the trap master floating lazily down into the laboratory, her coattails stitching themselves together again to make a makeshift parachute. She landed comfortably atop a nearby pile of clothes, letting out a contented sigh as she dusted herself down, before waltzing her way over to Nui. Nui could muster no resistance as Maiko planted a boot upon her face, cruelly twisting at Nui's broken nose. "I think we're about done here, wouldn't you agree, Matoi? I'll be taking that Kamui now, but don't you fret, it's going to a better home. Besides…" Maiko laughed, a murderous look twinkling in her eyes as she hoisted her sceptre above her head, the golden finery gleaming in the light."... YOU'LL BE TOO DEAD TO MISS IT!"

"NO!" Senketsu cried out, and a moment later he left both Nui and Maiko utterly stunned by tearing himself off of Nui.

"What kinda braindead tactic is- MMPH!" Maiko's ranting was prematurely cut off as Senketsu launched himself at the trap master, wrapping his body tightly around her face. Her sceptre clattered to the ground as she staggered back, hands grasping at the Kamui as she tried desperately to tear him away from her, but he was surprisingly strong for an article of clothing- as he'd proven against Nui several days prior- and held his own for far longer than he had any right to. Eventually though, her three-star REVOCS outfit came through, and she was able to pull the dress away from her now incredibly red face, gasping for breath as she growled, "S-stupid, tacky dress! You couldn't stop me when you were synchronised, what good do you think you can do now?"

Senketsu's reply was a firm headbutt- or as much of a headbutt as a headless dress could muster- glaring fiercely into Maiko's eyes as he roared, "I WON'T LET YOU HURT HER ANYMORE!"

Maiko visibly paled. "W-wait, you can actually talk?"

"I am more than just a Kamui, more than just a tool, more than just clothing. I AM NUI MATOI'S FRIEND, AND I'LL NEVER LET YOU PEOPLE HURT HER!"

"Senketsu…" Nui trailed off, in awe as she watched her Kamui put his life on the line for hers. A wave of shame bubbled up inside her as she finally realised the truth. ' _Of course, I'm such a dummy. He could've just made you into a soulless piece of fabric, like every other Life Fiber rag out there, and I still would've had the power I needed. And yet he didn't. He gave you a voice, and tailored you to think and feel just like people, but why would he do that? Why waste the time, unless… you were meant to be more than just a tool.'_

Nui's train of thought was shattered as Maiko let out an almighty roar, her coattails turning as sharp as knives as she thrust them at Senketsu, stabbing the Kamui over and over again. He screamed in agony, his resistance finally crumbling, and she threw the tattered dress to the floor. "Senketsu!" Nui cried, and though her muscles still ached horribly, and the dizziness made her want to physically puke, she crawled her way over to him, pushing herself through the pain.

Maiko's boot stamped down on her hand before she could reach him, however, shattering her meticulously manicured nails and sending a fresh wave of pain surging through her arm. The trap master looked down at the two of them with enraged expression, her red eyes burning with unbridled hatred. "Congrats, you and your fucking rag have managed to royally piss me off!" She focused her gaze on Senketsu, pinning him to the ground with several of her coattails when he tried to pick himself back up, her lips curling cruelly at the anguished moans that got out of him. "Stay still, dustcloth, or I'm gonna re-tailor you into a very low cut dress! The Grand Couriter will be able to fix you up so long as you're alive, and that gives me free reign to hurt you however I want, so learn your fucking place!" She turned back to Nui, her vicious grin growing exponentially as she flicked her sceptre back into her hand with another one of her coattails. "Now then, where were we? Oh, that's right, I was about to remodel your face into a Picasso painting!"

"Oh no you don't!" A loud whooshing sound cracked through the air, and Maiko swivelled around, just in time to see a still tied up Mako hurtling towards her.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me! Again?" she screeched as Mako slammed headfirst into her jaw, throwing the trap master back into a wall with such surprising force that she went straight through the concrete, leaving a comical, Maiko-shaped hole in her wake.

"Oh hey, Nui, sorry for getting kidnapped again. Lovely place you got, by the way!" Mako beamed, flopping down next to her friend.

Even as worn down as she was, Nui couldn't help but look incredibly baffled. "M-Mako? I thought you were asleep? How are you even down here?"

"I was sleeping! I was having this awesome dream where we were the main characters of a shonen anime, and we were beating up all sorts of bad guys and evildoers with our super awesome magical girl powers that our talking uniforms granted us! Also, Gamagori was there and his clothes kept falling off for some reason, but that was okay because I kinda sorta liked it! Oh, wait, you wanted to know how I got down here, didn't you? Oh! Basically my best friend senses started tingling so I woke straight up, but then I realised I was tied up, so I chewed through the rope, though I could only chew through the part that was hanging me up because my chin kept getting in the way of the rest of it, and then I wormed my way down here to help you! It took me a super long time, but I couldn't just abandon my bestie in her hour of need!" Mako babbled, not once pausing for a break throughout her entire explanation, and Nui could only look on in stunned silence. Somehow, despite being tied up from neck to shins, Mako managed to shimmy her way over to Senketsu, grabbing the dress in her teeth with surprising delicacy. From there it was a simple task of dragging him back over to Nui, which she accomplished by crawling like a caterpillar. "Shame on you, a girl should take better care of her only dress! Especially when it's one of their friends too! Imaginary friends are just as important as real ones, after all!"

Still somewhat stunned, Nui was all too eager to accept Senketsu back into her arms, bringing the tattered Kamui into a protective hug. "Thank you. Both of you."

Mako smiled cheerfully. "Of course, it's what friends do!"

"Friends…" Nui trailed off, glancing down at Senketsu.

"What a load of rubbish!" Maiko growled, wrenching herself out of the hole. A murderous scowl was plastered across her features as she stomped towards Mako, batting her golden sceptre against her open palm. "You might have caught me by surprise the first time, but if you really think that a dumb, fat slacker like yourself is gonna be able to up stand against the strepower of the Grand Couturier's personal assistant, then you're in for a rough reality check!"

Mako slid in front of Nui, the rope miraculously slipping away from around her as she struck a dramatic pose, bathed in a spotlight that came from literally nowhere. "It's Nui that'll beat you, not me! I knew from the very first moment I saw her that she was the most badass, super awesome chocolatey fudge-coated mega super anime cosplayer and spy fighter ever, and she's got way more strepower than anyone, whatever that is! She'll beat you because she's fighting for justice, and if anime's taught me anything it's that those who fight for justice always win! She just needs to let go, and believe in her dress!" Mako turned back to Nui, beaming down at her still incredibly stunned friend. "I know you can do it, Nui, I believe in you and so do my family too! We were all talking about you, 'That Nui', we said, 'she's got a great body and she's not afraid to show it, but she just needs to believe in her dress! Flaunt that cute thing with pride, don't resent it'! So I know you can do it, you just need to believe! And if not in your dress, then believe in the dad who believed in the dress that believes in you! You said your dad never let you down before, and he won't now! So don't be afraid of it, and don't hate it, because a girl's only dress is as much her friend as her bestie is! Just let it in! Just let go, Nui, and become one with your dress!"

Nui was silent for a couple moments, before glancing back down at Senketsu with a smile. He met her gaze, confused at first, but his eye quickly widened when he realised what she was considering. "Just let go, huh?"

Maiko grabbed at a distracted Mako, a haughty cackle dancing in her throat as she hoisted the squirming no-star up above her. "'Believe in the dress that believes in you'? What nonsense! What complete and utter nonsense! I see why you're friends with this one now, Matoi, she's just as delusional as you are!" Smirking, Maiko brought her coattails around and aimed them at Mako, each tip turning as sharp as knives. "You were decent enough bait, but now you're starting to piss me off, you otaku trash! I only came here to take the Kamui and pummel Matoi into the dirt, but I doubt… " She paused for a moment, licking her lips as a dark chuckle escaped her throat. "... I doubt the Grand Couturier will mind much if I take a little extra time to remove another of you wannabe Nudist weirdos from her sight. Besides, it means I get to take two precious things from Matoi today- her tacky Kamui, and her annoying waste-of-space slacker friend- and that makes this all the sweeter! Enjoy your ultimate defeat at the hands of Maiko Ogure, YOU DAMN NUDIST MONKEY!" And with that, Maiko unleashed her coattails.

Mako screwed her eyes shut, anticipating the inevitable impalement to follow with a cringe. That never came to pass, however, as instead several loud clangs echoed across the laboratory, the telltale sound of metal striking metal, before Mako suddenly found herself free of Maiko's grip, flopping to the floor with a surprised 'oof'. She tentatively opened her eyes, and a look of sheer awe overcame her as she saw Nui standing right in front of her, wearing a tattered but still functional Senketsu, and holding back each and every one of Maiko's coattail strikes with her scissor blade.

"W-what is this?" Maiko spluttered.

"How many times do I have to tell you people?" Nui growled, her eyes, just barely visible beneath a frayed fringe, ablaze with a new and intense heat. "I'll never let you, or Ryuko bloody Kiryuin, or anyone other damn Life Fiber puppet take anything from me ever again!"

Senketsu glanced up at her. "Nui, are you really going to-"

"Yeah, let's do it! It's time to play for real, Senketsu!" Nui replied, grinning as she brought a well-manicured nail up and flicked the pin off her glove.

Synchronising felt different this time. There was no strain against her body this time, no pain or dizziness, just a wonderful sensation of warmth and comfort that enveloped every part of her as she finally let Senketsu in. It soothed her achy joints and rejuvenated her pained muscles, as if the last couple hours of gruelling fights had never taken place, and she let out a breathless giggle, the feeling of newfound power surging through her tickling at her senses. "I finally get it now, I need to let you in. It's not enough to be unashamed, I have to accept you as my dress and as my skin, regardless of your Life Fibers! No, I have to accept you as a friend, not just clothing, and certainly not just a tool! Dad knew that too, that's why he gave you a voice and that wacky, amazing eye of yours! So we can work as one! Isn't that right, Senketsu?"

"Yes! That's exactly right, Nui!" Senketsu confirmed, the excitement clear in his voice.

Nui couldn't help but share his excitement, giggling as Senketsu tightened against her skin, all the tears and creases that Maiko had inflicted upon him disappearing as he formed that lewd, risque, practically naked form that she adored so much. At first, there appeared to be no difference from before- not that she would've complained, of course, Senketsu had been the perfect garment for a Nudist's daughter from the very start- but then her eyes widened, drawn to a pink glow emanating from her hair. Multiple locks of her blonde hair had taken on a pink tone, emerging from behind her massive hair bow, and spiralling down from root to the very tips of her billowing pigtails. For a few seconds she was taken aback, but eventually, a thrilled grin crossed her lips. "Yes, this is what Dad wanted! This is truly becoming one! Life Fiber Synchronise: Kamui Senketsu!"

**[LIFE FIBER SYNCHRONISE: KAMUI SENKETSU]**

Maiko looked utterly stunned, her jaw practically touching the floor. Mako, on the other hand, was clearly not so taken aback, cheering, "Yeah, I knew you could do it, Nui!"

"Senketsu, jetstream!" Nui ordered, and purple energy burst out of the back Senketsu, propelling her forward faster than any amount of steam ever could. She hurtled towards Maiko with a roar, her anger ever present, but now inundated by the fresh waves of excitement coursing through her veins.

"I-Impossible! How'd she get so fast?" Maiko spluttered, just barely able to block Nui's incoming flurry of attacks with her sceptre. It forced her on the backfoot nonetheless, the trap master staggering back as she struggled to contain the sudden and powerful onslaught she was enduring.

"This feels amazing! This is it, isn't it, Senketsu? True synchronisation!" Nui laughed, grinning gleefully down at her Kamui. "It's wonderful! Incredible! Simply delightful!"

"Yes, Nui, this is our true power! You are now wearing me, and I am now being worn by you! We are as one!" Senketsu said, as Nui pushed Maiko further and further back, hemming the now panicking trap master into a corner. "There's no limit to our synchronisation time now! You offering your body and your blood freely, and in turn, I am offering you my power!"

Maiko tried to fight back, swinging her sceptre down from up high, but Nui just danced out of the way with a giggle. She promptly followed that up with a swift left hook, striking Maiko across the jaw and smacking her back into the wall. "What you said a moment ago was wrong, Senketsu! Dad doesn't just survive through me, he survives through you too! His hard work, his determination to destroy REVOCS, his love for me; he tailored all of that into you, didn't it? I'm was so stupid to not see it before, I could've ruined everything Dad worked for, but I'll never make that mistake again. If he believed in you, then so will I!" Nui promised, leaping forward as Maiko desperately whipped several coattails her way. She flipped over the deadly sharpened fabric, stylishly pirouetting in the air, before slicing each coattail in half as she fell back to earth, leaving Maiko so shocked that she was able to dart forward and grab the trap master by the throat. "Let's hurt this Life Fiber puppet nobody, Senketsu, for Dad!"

After a firm grunt of acknowledgement from Senketsu, Nui yanked up a screaming Maiko with ease and threw her into the air, almost smashing the bespectacled girl into the ceiling. That wasn't the main goal of her throw, however; instead, it had brought her time and space, and she used it to raise her scissor blade above her, hands slipping down to grasp at the flat of the blade rather than the handle. "Here's a little gift from me to you, sweetheart. Scissor Blade: Scythe Mode!" Just like with Senketsu, her scissor blade suddenly morphed into her hands, snapping in multiple places as it took on a new form. Two curved blades popped out from each end; one at the very tip of the scissor, and another, far larger one, sprouting out from beneath the handle, transforming her weapon into a deadly twin scythe.

**[SCISSOR BLADE: SCYTHE MODE]**

And with that Nui pushed herself off the floor and up towards Maiko, her scythe quickly becoming nothing more than a purple blur as she spun it about in her hands. "Oh shit…" Maiko muttered, hurriedly creating a makeshift cocoon out of her remaining coattails as Nui rapidly closed the distance on her, each one turning as hard as steel. It did little to stop Nui though, and the scythe carved through Maiko's defence with each, shredding what little of her coattails remained, before smacking into the trap master herself. Maiko somehow managed to lodge her sceptre in between her three-star REVOCS Outfit and the incoming scythe, preventing her outfit from being torn to shreds, but the force of the blow was still enough to smash the trap master through the laboratory ceiling, then back up through the cellar, then the mansion itself, before finally crashing into the driveway where their fight had first begun, leaving an enormous crater of her own in the process.

Nui grabbed ahold of the hole in the ceiling, hanging there awkwardly as she turned back to Mako, who still had that awestruck expression plastered across her face. "Thanks for your help, sweetie, I really needed the pep talk! I would tell you to run back home now, but I figure you're too good of a friend to do that, so please, at the very least, stay down here and try to avoid getting into any more trouble. Today's already been dramatic enough without you getting hurt or kidnapped again, sweetie", she warned, letting out a little giggle when Mako blew a raspberry her way.

"Meanie, that's only happened twice!"

Nui gave her a cheeky little wink, before pushing herself up through the hole with a quick burst of purple energy, her giggles echoing off as she disappeared from Mako's sight. "Wowza! I knew she was a badass, super awesome chocolatey fudge-coated mega super anime cosplayer and spy fighter, but now she's got super funky glowing highlights and a humongous death scythe too? My best friend just keeps getting more and more awesome!" she cheered, punching excitedly at the air. Her elation died just a quickly as it had arrived, however, and she paused, stroking her chin as worrying thought came to mind. "But now she's so super awesome, how am I supposed to help her? Best friends always need to stick together, both through the good times and the bad, but every time I try to stick by her side all I ever do is get in her way or worry her too much. Oh, I'm such a terrible friend! No matter what I do, I can't stop my bestie from getting hurt." Mako deflated, plopping down onto a nearby clothes pile with a groan.

Just as suddenly as her excitement had disappeared though, it came racing back to her, and Mako practically launched herself up onto her feet. "That's it! When Maiko was at Honnouji Academy she was a powerless no-star too, but now she's got that crazy uniform and she's super strong and menacing and can fight Nui one-on-one!" She hit a fist against the palm of her hand, a determined look blazing away in her eyes. "I know what I need to do now. I need a Goku Uniform of my own, so I can be a badass just like my bestie! Don't worry Nui, Mako Mankanshoku is gonna keep up with you, just you wait!"

Mako raced off towards the exit, climbing through the heavy metal laboratory door- which had been torn in two by whoever had attacked Nui's father all those months ago- and hopping up each step of the exceedingly long stairwell which led up to the surface, excitement bubbling away within her as she resolved to begin her new role as Nui's 'super badass sidekick' by helping her beat Maiko. ' _Don't worry, Nui, no one's gonna hurt you anymore! You have your cool spy friend and your cute dress, and now you'll have me too! I'll keep fighting for the friendship you've given me! I'll-'_

Mako was torn away from her thoughts as she slammed into something incredibly hard, yet at the same time incredibly bouncy, almost tumbling back down the stairs as she careened off it. She shook her head, clearing the stars from her vision, and a panicked look crossed her face when she looked up and realised just what she'd crashed into. "G-Gamagori?"

It was Gamagori's ass more specifically, though since it was still attached to the disciplinary committee chair she was technically correct. Said disciplinary committee chair swivelled around to glare at her, though the intensity of it was considerably diminished by the blush that was blazing across his cheeks. "M-Mankanshoku, how dare you assault a member of the student council! Do you ever look where you're going?"

Mako jumped back to her feet, matching Gamagori's glare with an indignant look, though she had to rise up onto the very tip of her toes to even half the height difference between them. "I don't need to look where I'm going, because there's only one direction I'm going in, and that's the one that leads to the future! The future between me and my best friend, and I'll keep running towards that future even if a million hard yet surprisingly cushiony Gamagori tushies stand in my way! The lights in my life never flash red, and even if they did, I wouldn't stop because I don't have a driver's license!"

Gamagori spluttered in surprise, and that gave Nonon plenty of time to worm her way into the conversation, the diminutive girl poking her head up from behind one of Gamagori's massive thighs, which took up the entire width of the hallway. "Ain't that adorable, the slacker wants to keep shoving her face up your ass, toad. You're like two perverts in a pod. Maybe once we're done here you can show your crush that creepy whip dungeon of yours", Nonon snarked, a cheeky grin blossoming across her lips as she riled a furious look out of Gamagori.

"Oh my god! Gamagori has a crush on me!" Mako squealed, a blush of her own tinting her cheeks as she gawked up at Gamagori. "Is that why I keep having dreams about you without your shirt on?"

The hallways echoed with Nonon's cackling, the diminutive girl laughing her ass off as Gamagori shot sweat bullets. "I DO NOT HAVE A CRUSH ON MANKANSHOKU! NOR DO I POSSESS A CREEPY WHIP DUNGEON!" he roared, his head growing disproportionately massive as he glowered Nonon's way.

"Oh please", Inumuta muttered, poking his head out from behind Gamagori's other massive thigh. "Your crush on Mankanshoku is almost as obvious as Nonon's is for Lady Ryuko."

It was now Nonon's turn to blush. "I-I am not in love with Ryuko!" she spluttered, quickly fixing her hat so it could better hide her face from the other elites. "We're just really good friends, that's all."

"Right, because really good friends give each other long, pinning looks while the other has their back turned, or blush like schoolgirls whenever the other person so much as praises them", Sanageyama snorted, standing awkwardly beneath Gamagori's crotch. The athletic committee chair didn't seem to notice, or maybe didn't seem to care, as he continued, urged on by the astonished expression Nonon was giving him, "Surprised? I've got special eyes, remember, I don't miss a single thing!"

"No one asked for your opinion, you North Kanto monkey!" Nonon screeched.

"ENOUGH OF THIS POINTLESS SQUABBLING, WE HAVE A MISSION TO DO!" Gamagori roared, secretly thankful the spotlight had been turned away from himself.

At his bellowing, Mako nearly jumped out of her boots. "Oh yeah, I've gotta go help Nui fight!" she realised, but as she tried to squeeze past Gamagori to reach the exit, the disciplinary committee chair moved to intercept her. She frowned at that, but tried again, slipping past Gamagori's thick thigh, only for Sanageyama and Nonon slid into her path instead. "Umm, so this getting kinda awkward. Is this like that thing that always happens where I try to go one way in order to avoid someone on the street but we end up bumping into each other anyway because we both go the same direction by accident, or are you actually trying to stop me?"

"I'm sorry, Mankanshoku, but you must stay with us. Lady Ryuko's orders", Gamagori revealed, his arms wide and broad as he blocked off the entire hallway.

"What?" Mako shrieked. "But I'm Nui's bestie, I've gotta help her!"

"You're staying with us. Lady Ryuko does not want to get caught in the crossfire of her judgment", Gamagori insisted.

"Trust me, kid, we don't like being your glorified babysitters either", Sanageyama grunted, a still blushing Nonon nodding firmly in agreement.

Mako gave them all a distressed look. "Wait, Ryuko's judgment? Nui's not gonna get hurt again, is she?"

Inumuta's collar popped open, revealing a knowing smirk. "Not unless she gets in Lady Ryuko's way…"

* * *

Laughter echoed throughout the burnt out husk of the Matoi mansion as Nui nimbly hopped her way up through each shattered floor, waves and waves of unabashed excitement surging through her. Each hop punctuated that state of mind wonderfully, immediately followed by with showy pirouettes, over the top somersaults, or carefree arabesques that took full advantage of her newfound, shared strength. "Let's finish this, Senketsu. I'm gonna carve that clothes-loving freak into so many chunks Mako's mum's gonna be able to fit her into tonight's croquettes!"

Senketsu went surprisingly green for a stomachless outfit. "Nui! That's disgusting, I do hope you're joking. That girl's way too salty to eat, she'll utterly ruin your BMI!"

"My BMI? Oh, you rude little boy, I'll have you know my BMI is totally fine! If anything I'm a little underweight, so says Kinue", Nui retorted, though with an obvious degree of mirth in her tone.

"My point still stands."

Nui gave a delicate snicker. "I'm joking, you silly billy, I wouldn't eat a raw piggie like her! Besides, I think the manky old rat and stray dog bits stuffed into those croquettes already are more than enough yuckiness for one girl's diet, wouldn't you agree?" One more elegant somersault later and she was back to the surface again, Maiko's crater in the driveway well within sight, and skipped over to it with a roguish grin. "It would be a terrible waste of edible meat though, even if she's way too salty for my tastebuds. Oh wait, I know, we can just feed what's left of her to Guts instead!"

"Ugh, now I know you're teasing me", Senketsu sighed, rolling his eyes. "Don't get too cocky though, we may have achieved full synchronisation, but you haven't beaten your opponent yet."

Sure enough, they found Maiko dragging herself out of the crater, numerous fracture lines across her glasses, and her three-star REVOCS outfit battered and muddied in dirt, but still very much intact. She growled, the torn coattails of her uniform gradually resewing themselves as she rose up onto her feet. "Okay, wasn't expecting that. Still…" A vicious grin split across her bloodied lips. "... at least now it's gonna be an interesting fight!"

An excited grin tore across Nui's lips. "Oh, I know exactly how you feel!"

The two girls charged forth, purple scythe clashing with golden sceptre as they brutally collided, creating an airburst so explosive it ripped an entire row of nearby trees out from the ground. Sparks and twinkling red stars danced around the pair as their weapons clattered together over and over again, each girl fighting with absolute determination, but unable to land the decisive blow they so desperately desired. Maiko fought with bloody, gritted teeth, red eyes burning with hatred as she found herself being pushed back. Nui, meanwhile, fought with an excited, feral grin, a playful giggle slipping past dainty lips as finally, for the first time since she'd arrived at Honnouji Academy, she found herself truly on the front foot. Finally, she was an underdog no longer.

"Now then, Maiko Ogure, start yapping or I'm gonna carve you up into hamburger meat! What does your beloved Grand Couturier want with Senketsu? Does she know who killed my Dad? Was it her, or Ryuko Kiryuin, or some other Life Fiber coward who murdered him?" Nui pressed, gradually pushing Maiko back as more purple energy spewed out the back of her Kamui. "Tell me now, and I pinky promise, here and now, that I'll only chop off your arms... and maybe leave you in a tincy wincy coma as well."

"I won't be telling you shit, you shoddily tailored Barbie doll! Your poor old dad's death is a strictly confidential matter, you see, so I'm afraid my tongue's gonna remain tied! Have you tried phoning our company helpline though?" Maiko mocked, cackling as she whipped the few coattails that had managed to fully restore themselves at Nui. They all missed, Nui dancing effortlessly between them, but it was enough of a distraction for the trap master to get in close, where she headbutted her opponent with all the rage and fury she could throw behind it. "Besides, do you really think knowing who killed that old fart will fix anything? Are you so naive to believe it'll mend the emptiness in your heart, because if so here's a little spoiler; it won't! You're wasting your time, Matoi!"

Nui burst into giggles. "Is that why you think I'm doing this? For some boring old inner peace nonsense? Oh, you're such a dummy, I really don't care about that. I just want to find out who killed my dad, so I can repay the favour, and I'll tear apart every little thing those clothes-loving Kiryuins cherish in order to do it!" Her dainty features abruptly took on a harsh scowl, and she pressed forward, hooking Maiko's sceptre with one end of her scythe and dragging it out of her way. "You people stole what I loved most, and now I'm gonna get the vengeance that my father and I deserve!" she screamed, staggering Maiko back as she delivered a stinging slap across the cheek. That left a bright red mark across Maiko's face, as well as four thin cut marks stretching from cheekbone to jaw, the result of Nui viciously digging her fingernails into the skin as she'd pulled back.

"My face! You fuckin' bitch, don't you know that as the Grand Couturier's personal assistant I've got a professional image to maintain? How am I supposed to do that when you've scarred my sexy, alluring, beautiful face? I'm gonna knock every tooth outta that cocky smile of yours, Nui Matoi!" Maiko screeched, throwing herself into an enraged counterattack. She sidestepped Nui's rapidly spinning scythe, then smacked Nui over the head with her sceptre, horribly dazing her opponent. A second powerful blow struck Nui across her exposed chest, and she was flung head over heels, yelping as the momentum eventually slammed her back into the dirt. Maiko smirked, sharpening her reformed coattails. "Now you're gonna die screaming, like your da-"

"Senketsu, jetstream!" A surge pink energy shot out from Senketsu, and Nui was launched forward, somersaulting through the air. Maiko was still in the middle of making her threat when Nui's G-stringed privates suddenly smacked into her face, and she screamed in horror, crashing to the ground as her feet got tangled up beneath her. Unfortunately for her, Nui came tumbling down as well, and the two fell into a rather compromising position, a fierce blush blazing across Maiko's cheeks as her face was pinned beneath Nui's barely covered privates. "Ooh, you naughty little pervert! At least buy me dinner first!" Nui giggled, making absolutely no effort to remove herself from Maiko's personal space.

"How's this for dinner, you fucking dyke?" Maiko screeched, and Nui was whipped across the cheek with a steel coattail, sending her bouncing down the driveway like a stone on water.

From there she laughed breathlessly, tongue darting out to lick a smidge of blood from her lips. "Yuckie, a little too much iron in that meal, sweetheart. In the future, maybe you could be more of a dear and not hog all the salt?" As she staggered back onto her feet, and Maiko did likewise, a cocky grin found its way across her lips. "Not that you're gonna have much of a future, mind you. As Nudist Beach's tactical espionage expert always tells me, the only good Kiryuin puppet is a dead one, and I'd say a naughty clothes-loving dork who won't answer my questions fits that bill to a T!"

Maiko snorted, red eyes blazing with barely contained loathing. "Tactical espionage expert? And here you've been accusing me of overcompensating the whole time! Ain't that a bit too many words for saying they're a spy?" Fingers tightening around the shaft of her golden sceptre, the trap master snarled, her coattails coiling back in readiness for an attack of her own. "Whatever, I've heard enough of your hypocritical Nudist posturing, you shallow doll! Time to strip you down! That Kamui is property of the Grand Couturier now!"

"Okay then, puppet, let's dance!" Nui taunted, a thrill of exhilaration tickling at her senses as she leapt into the fray once more. Maiko mirrored her move with an ear piercing howl of laughter, and their second dance was on.

It came to a swift and abrupt end, however, as just moments later a deafening boom exploded out from within the forest, launching forth a mighty airburst that threw the two girls violently off their feet. Nui groaned, ears ringing painfully, but thanks to her shared strength with Senketsu she managed to force herself up onto her haunches quickly enough, eyes squinted as her vision swam with blurriness. "Geez, talk about rude", she muttered, though her mirth quickly died in her throat when her vision cleared. A second, smaller airburst was fast approaching from within the forest, whipping the trees about so violently they were almost torn from their roots. And at the very centre of this secondary airburst was a small, human-shaped white and blue blur. ' _Oh come on, not you. Not now.'_

When Maiko saw the white blur herself, she went incredibly pale. "Oh fuck me sideways…"

"WITH FUCKING PLEASURE!" the blur roared, and in that instant, Nui's apprehension was fully realised.

' _Ryuko Kiryuin, you meddling little puppeteer, this is my fight!'_  she seethed, shielding her eyes as the blur-turned student council president was consumed by a dazzling crimson light, her uniform tearing itself apart as it transformed violently around her.

Ryuko bellowed out a second almighty roar, tinged with no small amount of agony, and it left Nui's ear ringing almost as badly as the airburst had. "LIFE FIBER OVERRIDE: KAMUI JUNKETSU!"

**[LIFE FIBER OVERRIDE: KAMUI JUNKETSU]**

Ryuko surged straight into Maiko, brutally wrapping her hands around the trap master's throat. "Did you really think I'd just let you waltz back into Honnouji Academy after the shit you pulled?" she barked, utterly overpowering Maiko as she slammed her into the ground. Maiko whipped her razor-sharp coattails out, but when they struck Ryuko's Kamui they just shattered into a million pieces, floating uselessly away in the breeze. Ryuko barked out a mocking laugh, stamping Maiko deeper into the ground and knocking the wind out of her lungs.

It was here that Nui was finally able to get a clear look of Ryuko's powered up Kamui, and what she saw disgusted her. The Kamui- Junketsu, Nui recalled, her eyes rolling at the mere thought of that pretentious name- admittedly bore an intimidating sight, with two massive red eyes atop incredibly long and angular shoulder pads, flowing spiky trouser legs, and a spiked crown jutting out of Ryuko's wild hair, but that was as far as Nui's appreciation for the outfit went. Unlike Senketsu's synchronised form, which Nui had quickly come to appreciate for the utterly perfect, delightfully unashamed skimpiness of its design, Junketsu was a disgustingly modest eyesore. In fact, aside from her face, Ryuko was covered from neck to toes in her white and blue Kamui. Not one inch of skin peeked out, no matter which way Ryuko twisted her body or how far Junketsu was contorted.

Nui's lips curled into a sly grin. ' _Oh, I understand you now, Ryuko, you have far too much shame. Maiko's right, you really are a coward.'_

"I let you walk away, I gave you a second chance to live your pathetic life however you wanted, and you spit it all back in my face?" Ryuko continued, yanking Maiko out of the ground only so she could headbutt the trap master back into it again. Under the force of that blow Maiko's three-star outfit finally conked out, depowering back into its trench coat form, which proved utterly useless for protection as Ryuko slammed another heel into Maiko's stomach. "Well, now you're gonna learn what happens when you push me too far, Maiko Ogure! I'm gonna do what I should've done several months ago and end your miserable existence!"

Despite her predicament, Maiko chuckled, coughing up a little blood with each amused shake of her body. "I would advise against that, you'd make someone close to you quite upset."

Ryuko snarled, grabbing Maiko by the throat once more and dragging her out of the hole. Bakuzan gleamed menacingly in her other hand. "You're such a bullshitter! As if there's anyone in the world who'd cry over your death, yo-" Ryuko's words died in her throat, her gear-shaped eyes zeroing in on the REVOCS logo across Maiko's three-star outfit. She almost blew a fuse at the mere sight of it. "Where the fuck did you get that uniform?"

"The answer to that question is delightfully fascinating, though unfortunately, I don't think our mutual friend is interested in hearing it", Maiko snicked, tilting her head in Nui's direction.

Ryuko turned around, and sure enough, she found Nui charging her way. "Step aside, Shadow the Hedgehog, this is an edge free zone!"

An exasperated sigh left Ryuko, and she casually deflected Nui's incoming scythe with Bakuzan, before pinning the pommel against the inside of Nui's blade, effectively preventing Nui from retracting it. "You're hilarious, Matoi. Shame the comedy club has a captain already, 'cause you'd make a wonderful two-star clown", Ryuko derided her slightly shorter counterpart, who was finding it impossible to break her scythe free from Ryuko's grip. The student president meanwhile tilted her head, an eyebrow gradually rising when she spotted the new glowing pink highlights Nui was rocking. "I see you've fully overridden your Kamui, congrats."

"Synchronised actually. I've learnt to treat my dress as more than a tool, Ryuko Kiryuin", Nui snorted, still trying to yank her scythe free from the lock, but finding absolutely no luck. She tried to spice things up with a sharp heel to Ryuko's abdomen, but Ryuko weathered the kick without so much as a flinch. ' _No way, I'm fully synchronised! She shouldn't be able to take my attacks like that!'_

"Synchronise, override, whatever, the meaning's all the same. You got your super special corner chick outfit working properly, whoop dee fucking do, gold stars for the entire class", Ryuko grunted dismissively, her tone not strained for a moment despite holding a fully synchronised Nui at bay, on top of still holding the dangling Maiko above her head. "I'm surprised you were able to get the gist of it in less than a week though, considering you're in bed with the Nudists. Maybe there's a reason for that cocky-ass attitude after all."

Nui giggled, fanning her rose tinted cheeks. "Ooh, thank you so much, Lady Kiryuin, your enchanting praise will leave me shivering for days! I take I've impressed you then?"

"Not really, I overrode Junketsu on my first try. Super fucking easy too actually. You ain't nothing special, Matoi, despite whatever your deadbeat dad told you. Damn shame for him", Ryuko retorted smugly, grinning wickedly at the offended pout that drew out of Nui. That proved to be a counterproductive action though, as it provoked Nui into kicking at her again, and so she sighed, shrugging her shoulders tiredly. "Look, I ain't here to fight you, Matoi, and you know that. I'm here to kill Maiko for threatening you and Mankanshoku, along with the numerous other crimes the bitch has pulled. You and me? We'll get our fight soon enough- and I wouldn't miss kicking your cocky ass for the world- but for now, step aside and don't do anything stupid."

Slowly but surely, Nui relented in her resistance. It wasn't like her efforts were causing Ryuko much issue anyway. "Okay then, puppet, we'll play another day, but for now the poindexter's mine! She threatened my Kamui, and she tried to kill Mako, I want to hurt her myself!" she argued, allowing her scythe to de-synchronise to its scissor blade form, which finally broke it free from Bakuzan's pommel. "If you're gonna punish her anyways then just let me do it…" A twisted grin crossed her lips as she glanced up at Maiko. "... I'll make her squeal on everyone's behalf!"

Ryuko grimaced, unease bubbling inside her in the face of that grin. "No", she eventually said, twisting her body so that- ironically enough- she was shielding Maiko from Nui. "I'm here to execute Maiko, not torture her. You can stay here and watch if you want, or you can go grab Mankanshoku from my elites and get the fuck outta here. I don't care either way, but if you're gonna be your stupid, stubborn-ass self and try to stop me, I promise I'll make you regret it."

"You heard her, Matoi, run along now. Abandon our fight, just like how you abandoned your pervert daddy to his death", Maiko half cackled, half choked, her throat horribly strained against Ryuko's hand.

Nui growled, her hand twitching as she fought the urge to carve her way through the two Life Fiber puppets before her. "Nui, don't", Senketsu warned, and she flinched, for one thrilling moment thinking it was her father who'd just spoken, such was the startling resemblance her Kamui's tone held.

It was enough to give her pause. "We can take her, we're fully synchronised now", she whispered.

"Maybe you stood a chance against Maiko, but this is Ryuko Kiryuin. She didn't even flinch when you kicked her. She's in an entirely different league to us right now. Please, Nui, Mako is safe now, there's no need to do anything rash."

Nui met Senketsu's pleading gaze. The Nui of yesterday- hell, the Nui of an hour ago- would've ignored that advice, would've jumped right into a head-on fight with Ryuko and probably gotten her ass thoroughly pummeled. But things had changed in such a small amount of time; she'd been dismissive of Senketsu's thoughts and feelings before, but now, knowing that her dad had tailored him to be her friend as well as her Kamui, it changed everything. "Okay", she sighed, a gentle smile across her lips as she stroked at Senketsu's bow. "I trust you."

That earned her another warm hug from Senketsu. "Thank you, Nui. Thank you."

Maiko retched, spitting a bloody glob at Nui, one the would-be Nudist calmly sidestepped. "You think you've turned some metaphorical corner? Think you've got some big role to play in the world now? Don't kid yourself, Matoi! Whether it's today or tomorrow, a week from now or even a whole year down the road, one day we're gonna tear that goddamn Kamui off of you!"

After regarding Maiko's rant with an utterly condescending smile, Nui pirouetted around to face Ryuko and gave her a mocking bow. "She's all yours, princess."

Ryuko merely sneered, before turning a scornful look Maiko's way. "As I was saying, where'd you get that uniform?"

"Hows about we talk about your Kamui instead, Ryuko, I figure that's a way more interesting subject. You seem very angry right now- like unhinged, about to snap at any moment angry- are those your true feelings for me or is Junketsu starting to influence you again? Oh dear, has it grown resistant to Iori's latest numbing agent formula? That must be, what, the fiftieth batch he's gone through now. You're gonna run out of new formulas so-"

A sudden gasp of pain rushed out of Maiko as Ryuko delivered a merciless punch to her stomach. "SHUT THE FUCK UP!" she roared with such ferocity that even Nui felt the need to take a couple steps back.

"Oh, d-did I strike a nerve?" Maiko laughed in spite of the pain. "I don't see why it'd bother you, being worn by clothes is absolutely wonderful! You're a coward for holding Junketsu back."

"I ain't angry because of Junketsu, I'm angry because I've got to stand here and listen to the dumbest, most aggravating goddamn bitch I've ever known rattle on about fucking nonsense because she loves the sound of her own voice too much!" Ryuko snarled.

"You've gotta admit though, I do have an inspiring voice. More than fitting for REVOCS's grand trap master."

Ryuko tightened her grip on Maiko's throat. "Well, if the REVOCS 'grand trap master' would be so kind, mind telling me where you got that three-star rip-" Ryuko paused mid-sentence, her brain quickly catching up with her mouth. "Wait, what did you just say? 'REVOCS' grand trap master'? What the fuck does that mean?"

"Would you believe me if I said I worked for REVOCS?"

"No."

A sinister smile split across Maiko's face. "Oh, but little miss student council president, it's all true. I'm Maiko Ogure, REVOCS' head of trapping affairs and public relations to Honnouji Academy, and, more juicily, personal assistant to the Grand Couturier. How d'ya like me now?"

Ryuko barked out a laugh. "You, working for my sister? Goddamn, Maiko, your lies used to be so much more convincing."

"Hey, it's the truth this time! How else would I have this scintillating three-star outfit, after all?"

"You stole it."

Maiko deadpanned. "Really, Ryuko, you think I stole this uniform from REVOCS? The same REVOCS Satsuki Kiryuin is the Grand Couturier of? Honestly, I know you've always been shorthanded when it comes to the brains department, but what kind of moron comes up with that as the best ide-"

Ryuko yanked Maiko in close, blue eyes glaring fiercely into mockingly calm red eyes. "Shut… up. You think you're so fucking smart, don't you? You're not gonna be able to BS your way outta this one though. I let you walk away last time 'cause I thought you'd learn your lesson, and yet here you are again, kidnapping and threatening students, and just generally being a colossal pain in my ass. I'm gonna do what I should've done the first time and put you down for good."

Maiko responded with a cocky smirk. "I don't know, little miss president, I think you might regret trying that."

"No, I really don't think I will", Ryuko corrected her, before drawing Maiko back away from her face, Bakuzan shimmering in her hand as she brought it up to the trap master's neck. Nui watched silently from the sidelines, licking her lips in anticipation. "Maiko Ogure, for the crimes of insubordination, attempting a coup, attempted murder, grievous bodily harm, kidnapping, disobeying my orders, stealing REVOCS property, impersonating REVOCS personnel, and being the most aggravating goddamn bitch imaginable, I hereby sentence you to death.

"Aren't you supposed to ask me if I have any last words?"

"I ain't interested in hearing what you have to sa-"

"Oh, how inhumane your rule has become, Ryuko Kiryuin! Where's the justice?" Maiko wailed overdramatically, and even Nui couldn't help but snort at the trap master's comical show.

A long, drawn out sigh escaped Ryuko. "Fine. I know I'm gonna regret this, but… do you have any last words?"

"Oh no, I don't, but I'm afraid my boss might", Maiko said, and Ryuko tensed as she dipped her hand into her coat pocket, pressing Bakuzan so firmly to her neck that it drew blood. It proved to be an overreaction though, as a moment later Maiko's hand reappeared with a phone in its grasp, one which, to Ryuko's utter shock, had been on speaker for the entire conversation. "Am I right, Lady Satsuki?"

"She is correct, Ryuko", a horrifyingly familiar voice spoke, and Ryuko was so shocked she let Maiko slip from her grip, staggering back. Maiko made no effort to run away, however, nor did she try to restart her fight with Nui; instead she fell into a remarkably reverent bow, holding her phone up high so all could hear Satsuki's voice.

"S-Satsuki?" Ryuko turned her shocked look Maiko's way. "You weren't lying? You're actually working fo-"

"I do not appreciate being interrupted during an important company meeting with foreign dignitaries by your petty attempts to kill my personal assistant and damage the expensive REVOCS outfit I worked tirelessly on, Ryuko. It seems you've been farming your pig herd for too long; how else could you be so presumptuous as to believe you have any authority over either Maiko or myself?" Satsuki berated her sister. For Nui, it was fascinating hearing the voice of the second Kiryuin spawn for the first time; she sounded so unlike Ryuko, utterly calm and with no emotional inflictions to her voice, yet she seemed just as stubborn and iron-willed as her sister. Satsuki Kiryuin spoke as if her word was the be all and end all- the law that was to be followed by every man or woman she met- and judging by Ryuko's increasingly conflicted expression, it was not such a wild delusion to believe.

Finally though, Ryuko seemed to find her strength again. "Maiko nearly killed twenty people last time she was at Honnouji Academy! She kidnapped one and tried to kill another two today! As the student president of Honnouji Academy, I've got every right to kill her fo-"

"And as the Grand Couturier, my methods when it comes to dealing with Nudists and their ilk are not to be questioned by anyone save the CEO herself. When I give an order to one of my subordinates, I do not expect you to interfere with them. Stick to running your little pig farm experiment, Ryuko, and I shall stick to doing things that actually matter", Satsuki interrupted her once more. Ryuko looked like she was about to explode judging by how red her face turn, her fingers twitching in barely contained fury. "Maiko", Satsuki spoke up again, "The operation is over, return to headquarters at once. If any of Ryuko's pigs attempt to stop you, you have my permission to kill them."

Maiko seemed to shiver at the mere mention of her name. "I hear and obey, my lady", Maiko purred, her tone husky with adoration.

' _So much for me being the dyke'_ , Nui mused.

"Satsuki", Ryuko growled, moving to intercept Maiko's retreat.

There was tired sigh on the other end of the phone. "I'm not having this conversation with you while you're wearing Junketsu."

Ryuko snarled, fury blazing away in her eyes as she continued to block Maiko's retreat. The trap master just smirked at her, holding her phone at a reasonable distance so the increasingly agitated student council president couldn't attempt a swipe at it. "I am not being affected by my goddamn Kamui!" Ryuko barked, her tone horribly belying her words.

"If you wish to continue complaining about this like some petulant child, do so in the privacy of our headquarters. Or have you forgotten that you're standing in front of an enemy?"

Ryuko's glare snapped Nui's way, and Nui saw something predatory in her eyes, something that made her shiver. It was as if the word 'enemy' had triggered something in Ryuko, and she lurched her body to face Nui, giving her a clearer picture of Ryuko's current state. Shaking hands, increasingly heavy breath, and a thin layer of sweat upon her head; what Satsuki and Maiko had insinuated rung true, Ryuko was starting to lose control over Junketsu. ' _My my, who's wearing who, your royal puppetness?'_ Nui wondered, raising her scissor blade in readiness, just in case.

Just like that, however, Ryuko seemed to revert back to normal, shaking her head to refocus herself. She looked down at Junketsu for a moment, meeting it's two crimson eyes with an infuriated glare. "Fine", she finally sighed, unable to bring herself to look at the phone. "Fine, goddamnit, we'll talk about this shit tomorrow! Just get that fucking bitch outta my sight before I change my mind!"

"Good, this discussion is over then." And with that Satsuki unceremoniously hung up.

"What?" Nui practically screeched, glaring at Ryuko. "You rotten little fibber, you promised you'd kill her!"

"I ain't in the business of making promises to Nudist freaks. She's leaving, accept my judgement or I'll knock your ass into the dirt."

"Oh, it's your judgement now, is it? Not just a clothes-loving puppet, but a puppet for another clothes-loving puppet too. Pathetic", Nui spat, but Ryuko didn't even grace her with so much as a glance.

"Ah, so glad you've learnt how to see reason, Lady Ryuko, your character growth is truly inspirational", the trap master simpered, before her mocking gaze turned Nui's way. "Well sayonara, Matoi. I hope you enjoyed our little dance today, but next time we're gonna tango for real! I'll strip that saucy little Kamui off your body come hell or-" Maiko let out a pathetic little yelp as Ryuko violently grab her by the throat again. "E-excuse me, I wasn't quite finished speaki-"

"I don't care, JUST GET THE FUCK OUTTA MY SIGHT, YOU BITCH!" And with that, she hurled Maiko into the woods with all her might. It was as if Maiko had vanished off the face of the earth; one second she was there, and the next she was gone, with only a long row of hewn trees and her distant, rapidly fading scream left to indicate that she did, in fact, still exist. Nui made to follow those screams, licking her lips in anticipation as she skipped along, but Ryuko promptly blocked her off with a firm arm. "What did I just say, Matoi? You and her are done fighting, end of story, so I'd suggest turning your cocky ass round and leaving pronto, because my patience is pretty much nonexistent right now."

But Nui just giggled, flicking at Ryuko's wild hair with one of her undamaged nails, and the student council president rather uncharacteristically flinched at their sudden proximity. "Ooh, but Lady Ryuko, I'm not a puppet like you. There are no strings on me, I'm naked and proud! So if you would just let me squeeze past, your royal puppetness, I'll be off to finish what you star-" And then Nui's pale finger, which she'd daintily drifted along Ryuko's long red bang without incident, made contact with Ryuko's cheek, and all hell broke loose. In an instant that predatory look returned to Ryuko- her strange, gear-shaped eyes consumed by a blazing inferno of unhinged fury- and she whipped round to face Nui, viciously grabbing at the pale girl's throat before she could finish her sentence. There was power behind that grip unlike anything Nui had ever felt before, and she found herself utterly helpless to stop Ryuko from dragging her up into the air. "G-geez, what is it with you and choking people?"

"You fucking bitch! Never… ever, touch me again, do you hear me, Matoi? NEVER FUCKING TOUCH ME AGAIN!" Ryuko roared with such ferocity that Nui felt her head physically rattle under the verbal assault. There was no chance to bemoan Ryuko's rather rude use of her 'outside voice' though, as she promptly found herself slammed into the ground like Maiko had been, kicking up a thick cloud of dust. Ryuko's boot came racing through it, and Nui couldn't help but hiss as the heel was jabbed into her stomach, pinning her down. "Now stay the fuck down and accept my goddamn judgment or I'm gonna save my sister the trouble and tear that Kamui off you myself!"

"N-no, you w-won't. I'm gonna t-tear it… all apart."

Ryuko's eyebrow rose. "All of what?"

Though her face was now bruised and stained with specks of dust and blood, a confident smirk crossed Nui's lips. "Why, everything you hold dear, of course! Your beloved academy, that uppity little gang of elites always kissing your ass, your horrid eyesore of a Kamui, even your family's little clothes-worshipping empire! I'm gonna get my hands on all of them, chop 'em up into neat little ribbons, and decorate your stupid, overcompensating, boring dictatorship of a city with them. Just a little treat from me to you for being such a naughty fibber and letting Maiko skedaddle! And then maybe you'll be a tincy wincy bit more receptive to telling me what I want to know."

Bakuzan's sharp, shimmering blade was brought within an inch of Nui's face, but she remained defiantly upbeat, even as Ryuko fixed her with a murderous glare. A second later though Ryuko started to laugh, at first an almost silent chuckle that barely made it past her lips, though it quickly grew into a full-blown bellow, and the student council president removed her heel from Nui's stomach. "You still don't know when to call it quits, do you? I don't think I've ever met such an infuriating, arrogant, cocky-ass bitch before, and I should really hate you for that, but you know what? I'm actually starting to enjoy these meetings of ours. You ain't nothing if not an endless source of amusement, Matoi." With a smirk Ryuko sheathed Bakuzan, slowly sauntering away from Nui. "Tell you what, I'll play your little game, but I ain't gonna go easy on you. Honnouji Academy is my domain, if you think you've got what it takes to tear it down then go ahead and prove it, 'cause from this moment onwards I'm sending everything I got your way. All my clubs, my elites, even myself; we're all gonna be gunning for your head. Still got the guts for the fight now, Matoi?"

With a 'hup' Nui leapt back onto her feet, giggled excitedly as she leant against her scissor blade. "Oh absolutely, that sounds like so much fun!"

"I swear your father must've dropped you on your head or something", Ryuko snorted, shaking her head. "As you wish. Defeat all the students I send your way. And if you can manage to do that without killing any of them, I'll tell you what you want to know. You have my word on that."

"Oh, and here I thought you weren't in the business of making promises to 'Nudist freaks'."

Ryuko just smirked. "I'm willing to make an exception, just this once."

Nui glanced down at Senketsu, and, seeing the same fierce blaze of determination that she felt soaring her, let an excited grin curl across her lips. "Then I guess we have a deal, Ryuko Kiryuin."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, more than a month since the last update. Well it's here now, and I hope you all enjoyed the enlarged role I've given Maiko, because there's going to be a lot more where that came from, what with her newfound position on Team Satsuki. Poor Nui's in for a long road of pain, suffering, and trap-related shenanigans.
> 
> Oh, and speaking of Satsuki, our beloved Student Council President turned Grand Couturier is finally making her appearance next chapter. You might be a little surprised by what's changed though...


	7. Omake 1- We're Running This Idea Into The Ground

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now for the next thrilling, totally legit chapter from this totally not hack fraud writer.
> 
> Special thanks to Discordence and Jodasgreat for betaing this... thing. I wrote this whole thing in like two hours last night, and I doubt they were particularly pleased to see it sliding into their DMs.

Nui Matoi stood under the shadow of Honno City, long, drilled pigtails flowing in the breeze as she tilted her head up to take in the majestic sight. The comfortable Japanese homes of the lower levels gave way to villas, then towering skyscrapers, and finally, vast mansions as Honno City spiralled up into the sky, like a giant spinning top that had been flipped upside down. It was a mesmerising display of reds and blacks, intersected by vast systems of roads and tramways that rose up alongside the city, all of which converged on the city's centerpiece: Honnouji Academy. Much of it remained hidden behind the school's walls, but from the tip of its tallest tower a bright light could be seen, bathing Honno City in its crimson glow.

A smile grew on Nui's face, drilled pigtails bobbing as she rested her chin against her parasol, it's tip planted in the ground. "This place looks like a lot of fun! I wonder if I can find my ans- oof!" Someone suddenly bumped into her back, and she swivelled around, pouting up at the taller, dark-haired girl who stood before her. "Geez, talk about rude! I'm trying to introduce my character here!"

The tall girl glared down at Nui, her messy, long black hair flowing in the breeze, with one strange lock of blue peeking out through her bangs. She wore a boys' uniform, likely stolen, and had a metal guitar case strung over her back. "Oi, outta my way, doll, I gotta find out who killed my dad."

Nui giggled, her hands resting on her hips as she continued to block the tall girl's path. "Ooh, how convenient, I'm here to find out who killed my dad too."

One of the tall girl's excessively thick eyebrows rose. "And who are you?"

Nui did a fancy little pirouette on the spot, laughing as she pulled her purple scissor blade out from within her dress. "Ta-dah! I'm Nui Matoi, Isshin Matoi's daughter, Nudist in-training, and soon to be the cutest little bane of Kiryuins everywhere!"

**[TRANSFER STUDENT: NUI MATOI]**

**[ISSHIN MATOI'S DAUGHTER]**

The tall girl glanced up at the enormous, floating pink subtitles above her, then snorted. "Oi, you're talking rubbish now! You're not Isshin Matoi's daughter, I'm Isshin Matoi's daughter!"

**[TRANSFER STUDENT: SATSUKI MATOI]**

**[ALSO ISSHIN MATOI'S DAUGHTER]**

Nui's smile quickly dropped, and she cocked her head to an almost unnatural angle. "Eh? I think I'd know if I had a sister, especially if she was some boring old stick in the mud like you, silly little fibber. My dad only had one precious little girl to look after, and that precious little girl was me!"

Satsuki just smirked. "Doubtful. Father was a good man, I refuse to believe he'd raise such an infuriating, bratty piece of shit as his daughter."

"BRATTY?" Nui snapped, one of her eyes twitching a little as she brought her scissor blade to bear. "Oh, that does it, you naughty little liar, I'm gonna carve you up into so many little ribbons."

In one smooth motion, Satsuki pulled out her own blue scissor blade, spinning it around above her as a cocky grin crossed her lips. "Bring it on, doll, I'll kick your pale ass any day of the we-oof!" This time Satsuki found herself on the receiving end of a firm bumping, and she staggered forward, before turning a fierce glare on the short-haired girl who'd dared to walk into her. "Who the fuck are you?"

The black-haired girl, with a strange bang of red that matched Satsuki's blue, snorted, her hands deep into her pockets. "Who the fuck am I? Bitch, I'm Ryuko Matoi!"

**[TRANSFER STUDENT: RYUKO MATOI]**

"I'm also Isshin Matoi's daughter."

**[ALSO ALSO ISSHIN MATOI'S DAUGHTER]**

Satsuki blinked. "What?"

Peeking out from behind Satsuki, Nui slowly raised a hand. "Okay, I'm a little bamboozled right now. Who are you and why are you also claiming to be my dad's daughter? I mean Daddy was a little clumsy at times and I know he might have dropped me down the stairs one or two or maybe ten times, but I'm pretty sure I'd remember having both a stick in the mud and a Shadow the Hedgehog cosplayer as my sisters."

Ryuko snarled, clenching her fist as she took a threatening step forward. "Who are you calling Shadow the Hedgehog, bitch?"

"Uh, you, of course", Nui smiled, pointing a well-manicured finger at Ryuko. "The only other person around is her royal dullness, Satsuki, here, and she'd make a terrible Shadow the Hedgehog. She's more like a really shallow Sasuke clone."

Satsuki barked out a laugh. "So says the girl ripped out of a Powerpuff Girls show."

"Ooh, I love the Powerpuff Girls though!"

Ryuko let slip a long, incredibly exasperated sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Look, we're kinda getting off track here. Why the hell are the two of you claiming to be Isshin Matoi's daughter?"

"Because I am Isshin Matoi's daughter!" Both Nui and Satsuki cried out in perfect unison. Satsuki turned a fierce glare back towards Nui, but the smaller girl just giggled, blowing a raspberry right back at her.

"No you fucking ain't, I'm Isshin Matoi's daughter!" Ryuko snapped, stepping right up into the other girl's faces. "I watched him die right in front of me, stabbed in the gut by his own blade! I saw his murderer running off like a goddamn coward, and now I'm here to find the fucking answers I want!"

Silence reigned for several long moments, then finally Satsuki said, "Same with me."

"Yep, me too", Nui nodded, pigtails bobbing as she peeked over the taller Matoi's shoulder.

"Me three!" All three girls snapped their heads around to find a short, brown-haired girl- with the customary bang of eccentrically coloured hair, this time being white- standing right behind them, a joyful, carefree smile across her face. When she finally noticed their stares she blinked, her smile faltering a little. "What, I'm Mako Matoi, and I'm also also also Isshin Matoi's daughter!"

**[TRANSFER STUDENT: MAKO MATOI]**

**[ALSO ALSO ALSO ISSHIN MATOI'S DAUGHTER]**

The only noticeable reaction to that revelation, other than a mixture of sheer bewilderment and utter disappointment, came from Satsuki, who slapped herself so hard across the forehead it left a bright red palm print. Mako didn't seem to notice, however, wrapping all three girls in a very tight hug. "Oh, this must make us like long lost sisters then! And we've got matching scissors too!" she cheered, yanking out her brown scissor blade from deep within her shirt. The other Matoi girls grimaced, leaning back as they watched a thick layer of slimy oil drip down the length of the blade, the result of Mako having used it as an impromptu kebab stick for her strange, pulsating croquettes. "This'll make our story way easier, not to mention way cooler too! We'll be like the four musketeers, kicking names and taking a whole lot of ass!"

"There were only three musketeers", Satsuki flatly corrected her, forcing her way out of Mako's ever-tightening embrace, much to the other Matois' disappointment. Ryuko and Nui did likewise, and all three girls were grimacing to varying degrees as they wiped themselves down of whatever greasy, fatty croquette oil had managed to drip its way down onto them.

Mako quickly found her enthusiasm again though, pumping her fists in the air. "That doesn't matter, we can be the new four musket- no, wait, the four Matois! Yeah! Four Matois with badass swords and a grudge to bear, it's gonna be the greatest anime series of all time!"

"Make that five Matois!"

"Oh, come on!" Nui moaned, and they all turned to glare at the fifth Matoi- save for Mako who simply cheered at the latest addition to her ever-growing 'family'- a diminutive girl with bright pink hair, alongside lone bang of black hair, of course, and a conductor's hat cocked up over her head.

"Hey, I ain't any more pleased about this than you are!" the latest Matoi shrieked in a horribly shrill voice.

Satsuki just deadpanned. "Let me guess, you're another wannabe Matoi?"

"I ain't no wannabe, I'm the real fucking deal. I'm Nonon Matoi, Isshin Matoi's real daughter!"

**[TRANSFER STUDENT: NONON MATOI]**

**[ALSO ALSO ALSO ALSO ISSHIN MATOI'S DAU-**

"Uhh, excuse me, sweetie, but I called dibsies on the pink subtitles first!" Nui interrupted, pushing the offending subtitles aside before they could finish appearing.

"What? You can't call dibs on an entire colour!" Nonon snarled, petulantly stomping her foot. "Besides, if either of us should be allowed to call dibs on it then it should be me, I'm older than you!"

Nui cocked her head. "How do you know that?"

"'Cause I read the wiki- Uh, 'cause I just know, deal with it!" Nonon snorted, folding her arms and tilting her head away from the other four Matoi's.

Somehow, Ryuko's sigh was even longer and more exasperated than the last one. "Look, girls, this shit's giving me the biggest goddamn headache of my entire life. I don't know about you all being my dad's daughters as well as me, but we all came here to do the same thing; find out who killed my da… our dads. Figure we're all in agreement that that's the bigger issue at the moment, so can we just stop bickering for five fucking minutes and sort that out first?"

There was silence for several moments as the various Matoi daughters glanced at one another, and then, finally, Satsuki turned back to Ryuko and nodded. "Agreed. We can sort this mess out later."

"Yeah, and they won't be able to stop all five of us", Nui cheered, wrapping one arm around Satsuki and the other around Ryuko. "Let's pummel those clothes-loving freaks into dust!"

Mako jumped up onto Nui's back, joining in the impromptu hug. "Yeah, 2014 is Kill la Kill's year!" When the other Matoi's turned bemused glances her way, Mako blushed, ducking her head down a little. "I mean, go Team Matoi! Or is it The Five Matois now? Oh, or should I just say 'Go sisterpower' instead? Or maybe..."

Nonon meanwhile sighed, shaking her head as she stepped forward. "Fine, but don't expect me to be hugging any of you. I ain't no lesbo!"

"I'll take that hug then!" The colour instantly drained from every Matoi girl, and they all slowly turned their heads until they saw a tall, excessively buxom woman standing right beside them, a brilliant rainbow of colours peeking out from the underside of her white, flicked out hair. She was also wearing a school uniform that was far too small for her. "I love long, warm, tight hugs, especially from family members!"

"You ain't another daughter of Isshin Matoi, are you?" Ryuko tentatively asked, though only after several moments of tense silence.

Nonon snorted. "Un-fucking-likely, look at her! She's way too old to have a dad that's still living!"

"Aren't our dad's dead as well though?" Mako raised the question, but all that brought her was a harsh glare from Nonon.

"Shut up, you know that ain't what I meant!"

The older newcomer cut them all off though, letting slip an amused laugh that sent shivers down their spines. "Oh no, I'm not Isshin Matoi's daughter, sillies!"

The five Matoi daughters let out a collective sigh of relief. "Okay, that's good to hear, for a second there I was worried-"

Satsuki was suddenly interrupted as the newcomer added, "I'm actually Ragyo Matoi, Isshin Matoi's dear, beloved wife, and I'm here to find his killer!"

**[** **T** **R** **A** **N** **S** **F** **E** **R**   **S** **T** **U** **D** **E** **N** **T** **(** **?** **)** **:**   **R** **A** **G** **Y** **O**   **M** **A** **T** **O** **I** **]**

**[** **I** **S** **S** **H** **I** **N**   **M** **A** **T** **O** **I** ' **S**   **W** **I** **F** **E** **]**

Satsuki visibly deflated. "... Goddamnit!"

"This is fucking ridiculous!" Nonon shrieked, tearing at her hair.

"Four weirdo sisters and now one creepy mama too? This is why Daddy always warned me about talking to strangers, isn't it?" Nui babbled, breaking out into an almost deranged fit of giggles.

Ryuko, meanwhile, just slumped to the ground, huffing as she propped her chin up with a hand. "All I wanted to do was find out who killed my dad! That's all I wanted to do! Why's it gotta be so hard?"

Mako flailed a hand about in the air, looking incredibly alarmed. "Uh girls, I know I was excited and all, but five Matoi sisters and a Matoi wife is way too many hot main character chicks for one anime! If we're not careful our show's gonna get rebranded as a harem!

Ragyo's creepy laugh echoed across Tokyo Bay once more. "Oh don't be so silly, dear, there's no way…" She paused when she noticed the horrified looks across her maybe kinda sorta daughters' faces, and turned to see a tall, ludicrously buff boy standing right by her side. Much to her own horror, he looked very edgy, and very, very American. "Oh, uh, hello there. And you are?"

"Hey bitches!" he muttered in his dark, gravely voice, flicking at his short, spiky, raven hair.

"Oh god…"

"Please no…

"Kill la Kill is ruined forever!"

A smirk crossed his edgy face. "My name's American 'Lighting-Bolt Zandatsu Sharingan' McGee, and I'm here to romance you all!"

**[AMERICAN 'LIGHTNING-BOLT ZANDATSU SHARINGAN' MCGEE]**

**[YOUR NEW PROTAGONIST]**

"AHHHHHHHHHH!"

* * *

Meanwhile, high up in the Student Council tower, Ryuko Kiryuin observed the unfolding insanity with growing unease, sweating a torrent of bullets as she struggled to take it all in. "This is getting out of hand, now there's five of them, and a goddamn edgy OC to boot!"

"Six if you include the old lady!"

Ryuko froze, and then, ever so slowly, turned around to find Nui standing right behind her. Horrifyingly, she was wearing Junketsu, and had a stern expression on her that really didn't suit her character.

"Please don't tell me…"

"Yep, I'm Nui Kiryuin."

**[STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT: NUI KIRYUIN]**

Ryuko's mind finally shattered, and she collapsed to the ground, wailing over the horror of it all. "AHHHHHHHH-"

"I'd suggest holding off on the screaming for the time being, sweeti- I mean, you dirty pig, there's another five Kiryuins coming up in the elevator."

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And then the world imploded, and Kill la Kill never saved anime. 
> 
> On a completely unrelated note, happy 1st of April everyone! Be sure to keep a vigilant eye out though, there's always a couple of hack fraud writers updating their stories with pointless April Fools Joke chapters. Honestly, who would do such a thing?
> 
> (Sorry, not sorry. Real chapter coming out soon enough.)


End file.
